XN000022-1990-03-15 — Page 6

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LT

5

THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1990

TO

THAT

ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF CIGARETTES PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18, HE SAID MANY RESPONDENTS RECOGNISED THIS WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE, GIVEN THE MANY RETAIL OUTLETS FOR CIGARETTES IN HONG KONG.

**MOREOVER, AS MANY YOUNG PEOPLE STARTED ΤΟ CURIOSITY, THE PROPOSED BAN COULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.

SMOKE OUT OF

"ACCORDINGLY, INSTEAD OF LEGISLATING, EMPHASIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE PLACED ON EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY AS A MEANS OF DISCOURAGING PEOPLE FROM STARTING TO SMOKE, HE SAID.

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YOUNG

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON EFFECTS OF SMOKING, THE COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH, CHAIRMANSHIP OF DR RONALD LEUNG, WAS PLAYING A VERY

HARMFUL THE ROLE.

THE

UNDER IMPORTANT

"SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1987, COSH HAS BECOME A FOCAL POINT FOR ALL INITIATIVES AGAINST THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF SMOKING.

BY

"IN PARTICULAR, THE YOUTH CAMPAIGN CURRENTLY BEING LAUNCHED COSH ON THE THEME OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WITHOUT IMPORTANT VENTURE TO DISCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM STARTING TO

SMOKING 19 AN

HE SAID.

SMOKE,

tt

FORMS OF AND FOR

TURNING ΤΟ THE COSH PROPOSALS FOR A BAN ON ALL CIGARETTE ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP AS A LONG-TERM GOAL, CONTROLS ON THE CONTENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE MEANTIME, SPOKESMAN SAID TO ACCEPT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN FULL WOULD BE BY MANY PEOPLE AT PRESENT AS UNACCEPTABLE INTERFERENCE WITH THE MEDIA AND AN INFRINGEMENT OF PROPERTY RIGHTS.

THE

SEBN PRINT

STRATEGY THAT

"APART FROM THE BAN ON ADVERTISING IN CINEMAS, THE TOWARDS OTHER FORMS OF CIGARETTE ADVERTISING WILL BE TO ENSURE THE HEALTH WARNING IS MADE MORE IMPRESSIVE AND PROMINENT.

"EFFORTS WILL ALSO BE MADE TO GET THE TOBACCO INTRODUCE GREATER RESTRICTIONS ON THE CONTENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE INDUSTRY TO PRINT MEDIA THROUGH ITS VOLUNTARY CODE OF PRACTICE," HE SAID.

THAT

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT ARTS AND SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS HAD THE PROPOSED BAN ON TOBACCO SPONSORSHIP WOULD INHIBIT DEVELOPMENT OF ARTS AND SPORTS IN HONG KONG.

"AS FOR THE ALTERNATIVE IDEA OF IMPOSING A LEVY ON THE SALE CIGARETTES AND USING THE PROCEEDS TO SPONSOR ARTS AND SPORTS AN INDEPENDENT BODY, THIS ARRANGEMENT WOULD NOT FIT IN WELL WITH KONG'S FISCAL SYSTEM," HE SAID.

FELT THE

OF

THROUGH HONG

AND

THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT TOBACCO WAS ALREADY HIGHLY TAXED THE TAX HAD BEEN INCREASED BY 25 PER CENT IN THE RECENT BUDGET.

"SMOKERS ALREADY HAVE A STRONG FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO QUIT," HE

SAID.

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