TNAG-1556-FCO40-2120-Broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 126

CONFIDENTIAL

XCC (86) 167

Public opinion on a tobacco advertising ban

13

It

Page

5

a ban

is not

to easy

perceive a consensus on this subject in any country, but at present one might fairly generalise that in Hong Kong there is not a clear majority in favour of a total ban on tobacco advertising although there is one in favour of much stricter controls on the timing and content of tobacco advertisements. The issue has been surveyed extensively in recent years by the tobacco industry, and the Broadcasting Review Board. Survey results have generally shown that the majority of the public are doubtful about the effectiveness of an advertising ban, and concerned that a would reduce the revenue of the broadcasting industry leading to poorer quality programmes. At the same time the public is strongly in favour of stricter control over tobacco advertising in order to prevent it from

from influencing young people. During consultation on the Broadcasting Review Board Report, opposition to a total ban came from a wide cross section of the community, including a majority of individuals, organisations and District Board members. In their adjournment debate on the BRB Report in March this year, Legislative Councillors were quite evenly divided over the issue. Of the eighteen members who spoke, six were in favour of a total ban as from 1988, three suggested that a ban should be introduced in phases and nine members were opposed to a total ban, although seven

seven of these favoured further restrictions the content of tobacco advertisements and on the timing when such advertisements should be allowed to be screened.

14

a

It should be noted that the tobacco, advertising, and television industries had lobbied very strongly against an advertising ban. The lobbying efforts initially attracted lot of public attention, but towards the end of the consultation period public opinion swung against the aggressive lobbying tactics of the tobacco industry, and support advertising ban increased.

Conclusion and recommendation

15

most

cause

an

one

Smoking is recognised by the Government as the single

and preventable

of ill-health in Hong Kong, which is responsible for over 3,000 premature deaths a year.

Administration recognises that it will not Although the Administration

be possible to have clear causal proof of the connection between advertising and consumption, it feels that the prima-facie evidence is sufficient to

that suggest influential in establishing connotations and associations. Since there is no doubt that cigarette advertising conveys the idea that smoking is pleasurable and that tobacco is a wholesome, high-quality product, banning advertising seems justified in this case to protect consumers, especially the

young,

against misleading publicity

advertising

is

that creates false

CONFIDENTIAL