XN000022-1991-04-17 — Page 24

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991

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FUTURE EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION AND PROMOTION OF HEALTHY LIFE-STYLES

* *

AND

THE FUTURE WILL SEE THE GOVERNMENT EMPHASISING PREVENTION PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND HEALTHY LIFE-STYLES, WHICH MEANS MORE EFFICIENT CO-ORDINATION OF LOCAL HEALTH SERVICES, BETTER INTERFACE BETWEEN HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND SYSTEMS, AND CLOSER COLLABORATION BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS.

THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH SAID THIS IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE.

WONG,

IN THIS RESPECT, THE REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY FOR CONSULTATION, POINTED THE WAY FORWARD, SHE SAID.

WHILE MAINTAINING THAT EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES MUST ALSO DEPEND ON VIABLE PREVENTION STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY, MRS WONG FURTHER EXPLAINED THE TOBACCO TAX PROPOSALS AND REITERATED THAT "TOBACCO SMOKING IS A LEADING CAUSE OF PREVENTABLE DEATH".

SHE SAID BOTH STUDIES ELSEWHERE AND LOCAL STATISTICS DEMONSTRATED AND SUPPORTED THAT TAX WAS AN FFECTIVE TOOL TO DISCOURAGE SMOKING, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNG.

"WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCE HAS PROVEN IT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRYING TO PREVENT SALE OF CIGARETTES TO YOUTHS OR TO PROHIBIT THEM FROM SMOKING.

"WHEN WE INCREASED TOBACCO TAX BY 300 PER CENT WAY BACK IN 1983, THE NUMBER OF DAILY SMOKERS FELL BY 20 PER CENT AND THE PREVALENCE OF YOUNG SMOKERS, AGED BETWEEN 15 AND 19, DROPPED BY 40 PER CENT, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF

YEARS, HOWEVER,

THE TREND FOR SMOKING AMONGST HONG KONG'S YOUNG WAS AGAIN ON THE RISE.

IN RESPONSE TO CRITICISMS TO THE TOBACCO TAX PROPOSALS, MRS WONG QUOTED A TIME HONOURED CHINESE AXIOM WHICH SAYS "GOOD MEDICINE IS BITTER AND GOOD ADVICE RESENTED".

MRS WONG SAID PERHAPS SHE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED AT ALL THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S TOBACCO TAX PROPOSALS ATTRACTED UNITED HOSTILITY FROM TOBACCO BARONS, SOME SMOKERS, AND EVEN SOME LEGCO MEMBERS.

SHE SAID: "I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT OBJECTIONS ΤΟ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S TOBACCO TAX PROPOSALS ARE WELL MEANING, ALL CLAIMING TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.

"HOWEVER, WE RUN THE RISK OF DELUDING OURSELVES AND DECEIVING OTHERS IN CLAIMING, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HIGHER TAX DEPRIVES SMOKERS OF THEIR 'PLEASURE IN LIFE. PLEASURE IN LIFE? SMOKING CAN KILL! DEATH FROM SMOKING IS A REALITY!"

/MRS WONG