WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1983
MAJOR ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN STARTS TODAY
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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) LAUNCHED A MAJOR ANTI-SMOKING PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF SMOKING.
THE CAMPAIGN AIMS TO ENCOURAGE SMOKERS TO STOP SMOK ING TO DISCOURAGE NON-SMOKERS FROM SMOKING AND TO PROMOTE THE RIGHTS OF NON-SMOKERS TO A SMOKE-FREE ATMOSPHERE.
ANNOUNCING THE CAMPAIGN AT A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON, MR GEOFFREY BARNES, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, SAID THAT CIGARETTE SMOKING IS REGARDED MEDICALLY AS ONE OF THE LARGEST CAUSES OF AVOIDABLE ILLNESS AND DEATH IN THE COMMUNITY.
+ACCORDING TO THE LATEST PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES FROM THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE ABOUT 790 000 SMOKERS IN HONG KONG, REPRESENTING 18 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION OVER THE AGE OF 12.
+I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS REPRESENTS A DROP OF 11 PER CENT IN THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF SMOKERS IN HONG KONG OVER THE 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING MARCH 1983. THE REASON FOR THE DECREASE MAY BE LARGELY ECONOMIC HOWEVER, AND THE NEED FOR FURTHER EFFORTS ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT ON THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF SMOKING MUST CONTINUE, HE ADDED.
MR BARNES, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, SAID THAT IT WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN FOUR PHASES.
THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH WILL START IMMEDIATELY, IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE HAZARDS OF SMOKING. PUBLICITY MATERIALS FOR THIS PHASE WILL BE WIDELY DISPLAYED AND TELEVISION AND RADIO ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BE MADE.
+THERE WILL ALSO BE A MASS RALLY IN VICTORIA PARK IN AUGUST WITH THE AIM OF RALLYING PUBLIC SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION IN THE ANTI-SMOKING CAUSE, HE ADDED.
DURING THE SECOND PHASE IN JULY AND AUGUST, SMOKERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE SUFFERING FROM SMOKING-RELATED DISEASES, WILL BE DISCOURAGED FROM SMOKING.
+DOCTORS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG ARE BEING INVITED TO SUPPORT THE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN BY COUNSELLING THEIR PATIENTS AGAINST SMOKING AND BY DISTRIBUTING ANTI-SMOKING MESSAGE LEAFLETS.
/+IN ADDITION,
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