The Health Secretary of Hong Kong, Lo Chung-mau, has proposed an unconventional method to discourage smoking in areas where it is banned, reported BBC on July 15. He suggested that people should actively discourage smokers by staring at them. This comes as Hong Kong debates stricter anti-tobacco measures, including bans on smoking in various public spaces and potential restrictions on purchasing tobacco products.
During a health meeting, Prof Lo emphasised the importance of public participation in reducing smoking rates and acknowledged the challenges faced by law enforcement officers in catching smokers in the act. He called for a societal shift where individuals voluntarily comply with the smoking ban, creating a culture of non-smoking.
Prof Lo acknowledged the need to improve law enforcement efforts, but also compared the enforcement of smoking rules to societal etiquette, suggesting that waiting in queues for buses does not require legal compulsion, but rather a cultural understanding and compliance.
The Hong Kong government is considering several new measures to combat smoking, including prohibiting individuals born after a specific year from purchasing tobacco products and raising taxes on cigarettes. These potential measures aim to further discourage smoking and promote a smoke-free environment.
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