THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1993
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"IN FORMULATING THESE PROPOSALS, WE HAVE CAREFULLY EXAMINED PUBLIC VIEWS AS REFLECTED IN THE CONSULTATION.
"THESE PROPOSALS ARE A FURTHER STEP FORWARD IN OUR POLICY то PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, HE STRESSED.
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ON THE PROPOSALS TO PROHIBIT THE SALE AND PROMOTIONAL GIVING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18, MR GOULD SAID PREVENTING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SMOKING HAD ALWAYS BEEN THE CENTRAL THEME OF GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-SMOKING POLICY AS SMOKING ALMOST ALWAYS STARTED DURING THE TEENAGE YEARS.
HE CITED STATISTICS TO SHOW THAT GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-SMOKING EFFORTS HAD RESULTED IN THE PROPORTION OF DAILY SMOKERS AGED 19 AND ABOVE DECLINING FROM 26 PER CENT IN 1982 TO 17 PER CENT IN 1990.
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THIS COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 25.5 PER CENT IN THE UNITED STATES, 27.5 PER CENT IN NEW ZEALAND AND 30 PER CENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
THE
INCIDENCE OF JUVENILE SMOKING, HOWEVER, HAS NOT SIMILARLY DECLINED. THE PREVALENCE RATE AMONG BOYS AGED BETWEEN 15 AND 19 HAS REMAINED AT 7.8 PER CENT SINCE 1982 WHILE THAT FOR GIRLS OF THE SAME AGE GROUP HAS RISEN FROM 0.4 PER CENT IN 1982 TO 1.1 PER CENT IN 1990.
"AS THE LAW ALREADY PROTECTS MINORS FROM THE PUBLICATION OF INDECENT ARTICLES AND EXHIBITION OF CATEGORY III FILMS, WE CONSIDER THAT PROTECTION SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE TOBACCO PRODUCTS BY PROHIBITING THEIR SALE, AND FREE SAMPLES, TO MINORS, SAID MR GOULD.
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"HONG KONG WOULD THEN BE IN LINE WITH COUNTRIES SUCH AS THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, TAIWAN, SINGAPORE AND SOME STATES IN THE UNITED STATES.
MR GOULD ACKNOWLEDGED THE PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULTIES, BUT WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS NEW REQUIREMENT WOULD PLACE AN UNREASONABLE ENFORCEMENT BURDEN ON RETAILERS.
HE STRESSED THAT FULL COMMUNITY SUPPORT WAS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ENFORCEMENT.
"TO ENCOURAGE COMPLIANCE BY YOUNG PEOPLE AND HONG KONG COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH (COSH) COMMENSURATE EFFORTS ON EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY MONITORING ROLE.
GOVERNMENT
RETAILERS, THE COULD DEDICATE AND ASSUME A
DEPARTMENTS, THAT IS NEW TERRITORIES
"WE WILL CONSULT VARIOUS POLICE, LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY AND ADMINISTRATION, ON POSSIBLE WAYS OF ENFORCEMENT.
AUTHORITY
"WE WILL ALSO ENLIST THE HELP OF THE FILM CENSORSHIP ΤΟ MONITOR CLOSELY SMOKING SCENES IN FILMS AND THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY TO REVIEW ITS CODES OF PRACTICE ON ADVERTISING AND PROGRAMME STANDARDS ΤΟ MINIMISE THE INFLUENCE OF SMOKING ON TELEVISION AND RADIO," MR GOULD SAID.
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