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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1987
+IN HONG KONG, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 3 000 DEATHS ARE CAUSED BY SMOKING RELATED DISEASES, I.E., EIGHT DEATHS PER DAY FROM SMOKING,+ HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT IT WAS NOT JUST THE SCALE OF PREMATURE DEATH WHICH PUT SMOKING IN THIS SPECIAL SERIOUS CATEGORY, IT WAS REGRETTABLE ALSO THE MOST EASILY PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF BOTH ILL HEALTH AND PREMATURE DEATHS WORLDWIDE.
DR LEUNG ALSO SAID THERE WAS SUFFICIENT MEDICAL EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT IF TOBACCO WERE A NEW PRODUCT, THE APPLICATION OF MODERN CONSUMER PROTECTION STANDARDS WOULD HAVE MEANT ITS OUTRIGHT BAN EVERYWHERE.
IN THIS CONNECTION, HE CITED AS AN EXAMPLE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S RECENT BAN ON SMOKELESS TOBACCO, A FORM OF TOBACCO WHICH HAD NOT ESTABLISHED ITSELF IN THE TERRITORY.
DR LEUNG QUESTIONED WHETHER THOSE WHO CONTINUED TO SMOKE REALLY KNEW THAT THE RISKS OF SMOKING WERE OF COMPARABLE DEGREE TO OTHER THINGS THEY SEEMED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT.
HE SUGGESTED IT MUST BE BOTH THE ADDICTIVE NATURE OF THE HABIT AND THE LONG LEADTIME FOR CANCER WHICH +MADE CAUSE AND EFFECT SEEM REMOTE TO THE SMOKER+.
VIEWS INVITED ON B SHARES ***
THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON COMPANY LAW REFORM TODAY (WEDNESDAY) INVITED INTERESTED PARTIES TO EXPRESS VIEWS ON THE ISSUE OF B SHARES BY LIMITED COMPANIES.
THE MOVE FOLLOWED A RECENT DECISION BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO ASK THE STANDING COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE +WHET HER OR NOT THE PRESENT ABILITY OF COMPANIES TO ISSUE SHARES WITH VOTING RIGHTS DISPROPORTIONATE TO THEIR NOMINAL VALUE IS IN THE GENERAL INTEREST OF SHAREHOLDERS AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, AND IF NOT, TO IDENTIFY WHETHER ANY CHANGES TO THE PRESENT LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ARE DESIRABLE+.
COMMENTS ON THE ISSUE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING BEFORE MAY 29 TO THE SECRETARY, STANDING COMMITTEE ON COMPANY LAW REFORM, REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT, COMMERCIAL DIVISION, 21ST FLOOR, QUEENSWAY GOVERNMENT OFFICES, HONG KONG.
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