TNAG-1609-FCO40-22131-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 30

Issue of cigarettes

to prisoner

Oral Reply by

The Hon D G Jea£freson, CBE, JP, Secretary for Security to a question from Dr. Hon Henrietta IP in the Legislative Council meeting of 25 November 1987

5. Dr. IP asked:

Will Government inform this Council whether, in keeping with its anti-smoking policy, it will review the Correctional Services Department's current practice of issuing cigarettes to prisoners upon request?

#

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SECRETARY FOR SECURITY:

Sir,

Cigarettes are issued only to adult prisoners

A

(aged 21—or above) who have indicated that they are

smokers. Young prisoners and inmates of training and

detention centres are not allowed to smoke. The issue

of cigarettes to adult prisoners has existed for a long

time. It would be difficult to withdraw it without

causing serious reactions in the adult institutions.

high proportion of male prisoners are smokers.

That said, the Commissioner of: Correctional Services is well

aware of the Government's anti-smoking policy. In keeping with

this policy, health talks on the ill effects of smoking are

organised, and all adult prisoners are required to attend. Anti-

smoking posters and literature are widely publicised and displayed

throughout the institutions. In other words, the Correctional

Services adopt the same approach of persuasion and education as

in the Government's anti-smoking campaign for the public at large.

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