ENG-2012 — Page 189

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Health

The number of patients waiting for kidney, liver, heart and double-lung transplants stood at 1,808, 121, 17 and 15 respectively as at the end of 2012, whereas there were 45 liver, 84 renal, 17 heart, 3 double-lung and 259 cornea donations from the deceased in Hong Kong's public hospitals in 2012.

Smoking and Health

China is a state party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO), making provisions of the convention applicable to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's tobacco control policy aims to discourage smoking, contain the proliferation of tobacco use and protect the public from second-hand smoking to the maximum extent possible through a progressive and multi- pronged approach, including legislation, publicity, education, enforcement, smoking cessation and taxation.

Legislation and Enforcement

The Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance stipulates statutory no-smoking areas and enforcement arrangements, and regulates the advertisement, promotion, packaging and labelling of tobacco products. Smoking is banned in all indoor areas of workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars, as well as outdoor areas, including the open areas of schools, leisure grounds, bathing beaches and public transport facilities. Persons smoking in statutory no- smoking areas and on public transport carriers are liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500 under the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance. All advertisements and promotions for tobacco. products are prohibited in Hong Kong.

The DH's Tobacco Control Office (TCO) enforces the smoking ban at statutory no-smoking areas. In 2012, the TCO conducted over 26,000 inspections and issued over 170 summonses and over 8,000 fixed penalty notices for smoking offences. It also organised 13 seminars attended by some 270 people. The TCO also distributed health education materials (including guidelines, posters, no smoking signs and pamphlets) to venue managers of statutory no-smoking areas and to the public.

Taxation

Duty-free concessions on tobacco products for incoming passengers at border entries (except for a small quantity for self-consumption) were abolished on 1 August 2010 and the Government increased tobacco duty rates by 41.5 per cent in February 2011 to curb cigarette consumption.

Publicity and Education

The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH), an independent statutory body, advises the Government on smoking, passive smoking and health, and on publicising the hazards of smoking. The COSH conducts various publicity, education and community involvement campaigns. It also operates a website, www.smokefree.hk, and a telephone hotline to receive enquiries and suggestions from the public on smoking and health. In 2012, the COSH's publicity and educational programmes attracted an attendance of about 163,500 people.

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