FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1992
SMOKERS DON'T LOOK MORE MATURE: SHW
SMOKING DOES NOT MAKE THE YOUNG LOOK MORE MATURE BUT ONLY HERALDS HEALTH HAZARDS AND RISK OF DEATH, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
MRS WONG GAVE THE ADVICE WHEN SPEAKING AT AN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-CANCER SOCIETY.
SHE DESCRIBED AS "A DISTURBING TREND" THE INCREASING NUMBER OF YOUNG SMOKERS.
WHILE NOTING THE DRAMATIC DECLINE IN THE INCIDENCE OF SMOKING AMONG ADULTS, SHE SAID: "THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE INCIDENCE OF MALE SMOKERS IN THE 15 TO 19 AGE RANGE OVER THE LAST
10 YEARS AND THE RATE OF YOUNG FEMALE SMOKERS HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED FROM 0.4 PER CENT TO 1.7 PER CENT DURING THIS TIME."
L
"MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE AMONG THIS AGE GROUP, SHE STRESSED, ADDING THAT THEY NEED TO BE DISABUSED OF THE DANGEROUS SELF-DELUSION THAT THEY ARE 'IMMORTAL'.
**
THREE-
MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS VIGOROUS PRONGED APPROACH TO DISCOURAGE SMOKING
THROUGH PREVENTION, LEGISLATION AND EDUCATION.
AREAS
**WE
HAVE THIS YEAR LEGISLATED FOR THE EXTENSION OF NO-SMOKING AND STRONGER HEALTH WARNINGS ON CIGARETTE PACKETS AND IN
CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS, SHE RECALLED.
"ON EDUCATION, WE ARE STEPPING UP OUR EFFORTS AND WE WILL DRIVE IIOME THE ANTI-SMOKING MESSAGE THROUGH SCHOOLS WHILE PUBLICITY MEASURES WILL BE INTENSIFIED, SHE ADDED.
44
MRS WONG ALSO NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED A PUBLIC CONSULTATION EXERCISE TO SEEK PUBLIC VIEWS ON FURTHER ANTI- SMOKING MEASURES, INCLUDING A PROPOSAL TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF CIGARETTES TO MINORS.
"WE ARE EXAMINING AND ASSESSING THE MANY SUBMISSIONS WE HAVE RECEIVED AND WILL DO OUR LEVEL BEST TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH WHILE TAKING STOCK OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND ASPIRATIONS, SHE SAID.
יו
MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ITS EFFORTS DISCOURAGE SMOKING AMONG ADULTS, AS FEWER THAN ONE IN FIVE ADULTS IS CURRENTLY A SMOKER.
TO
"AMONG WOMEN AGED OVER 50, SMOKING HAS DROPPED FROM 13 PER CENT IN 1982 TO ONLY FIVE PER CENT NOW, SHE SAID.
77
IN
1982, MORE THAN HALF THE MALES AGED OVER 40 USED TO SMOKE; TODAY, ONLY 10 PER CENT DO SO, MRS WONG SAID.
/7