XN000022-1990-07-04 — Page 31

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1990

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ANTI-SMOKING MEASURES DIRECTED AT YOUNG PEOPLE

A GOVERNMENT-SUBVENTED STATUTORY BODY, THE HONG KONG COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH, IS ENGAGED IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER GENERATION, ON THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF SMOKING, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON DAVID CHEUNG, MRS WONG SAID THE COUNCIL'S PUBLICITY AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE COMING TWO YEARS WOULD BE DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS THE PROBLEM OF SMOKING AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

SHE SAID AS A FIRST STEP, A SURVEY ON SMOKING PREVALENCE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS SMOKING AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HAD RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED.

**THIS PROVIDES BASIC INFORMATION FOR THE PLANNING OF ACTIVITIES AND ESTABLISHES BASELINE DATA FOR SUBSEQUENT EVALUATION."

IN ADDITION TO A POP CONCERT AND A FAIR STAGED IN STATUE SQUARE ON MAY 27 ΤΟ MARK THE BEGINNING OF A YOUTH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME, OTHER ACTIVITIES WOULD BE ORGANISED TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE ADVERSE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF SMOKING, ΤΟ ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP CREATE A "SMOKE-FREE" ENVIRONMENT AND TO HELP YOUNG SMOKERS TO BREAK THE HABIT, SHE SAID.

MRS WONG SAID AN ANTI-SMOKING YOUTH PROJECT WOULD BE LAUNCHED LATER THIS YEAR TO SUPPLEMENT THE COUNCIL'S EFFORT.

"THIS CAMPAIGN IS FUNDED BY A $2 MILLION GRANT FROM THE ROYAL

AND HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB

ADMINISTERED BY THE COUNCIL, WITH THE SUPPORT OF A PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM.

"OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS VARIOUS MESSAGES ON SMOKING WILL

MEDIA, AND APPEAR IN THE MASS

YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN VARIOUS CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES.

*

MRS WONG ADDED THAT SEVERAL GOVERNMENT

THE COUNCIL'S ANTI-SMOKING ACTIVITIES.

DEPARTMENTS

SUPPORTED

OF HEALTH

THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT

THEMES OF THE

IN HAD INCLUDED THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF SMOKING AS ONE

FOR FORM THE YOUNG HEALTH LEADERS TRAINING COURSE WHICH IT ORGANISED THREE AND FIVE STUDENTS, SHE NOTED.

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