Hong Kong Health Secretary: A Full Ban on E-cigarette Sales Is the Most Effective Form of Regulation

On May 30, according to Hong Kong Wen Wei Po, the Hong Kong SAR government previously proposed a complete ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. Hong Kong's Secretary for Food and Health, Chen Zhaoshi, stated in a blog post on the 30th that e-cigarettes and heated tobacco are becoming increasingly popular in Hong Kong, and implementing a complete ban is the most effective form of regulation.
 
Photo: A person vaping.

Chen Zhaoshi mentioned in her blog that May 31 is the "World No Tobacco Day" designated by the World Health Organization, with the theme of "Tobacco and Lung Health" in 2019, aimed at raising public awareness of the harm of tobacco to human lung health and advocating effective tobacco control policies.

Chen Zhaoshi stated that e-cigarettes, heated non-combustion tobacco products, and herbal cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular in Hong Kong. The Food and Health Bureau submitted the "2019 Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill" to the Legislative Council in February to prohibit the import, manufacture, sale, distribution, and promotion of alternative smoking products.

Chen Zhaoshi continued that protecting public health is the top priority of the SAR government. When a new product has not yet established a foothold in the market, implementing a complete ban is the most effective form of regulation, especially when it is anticipated that the product will be marketed very aggressively.

She believes that any regulatory scheme that fails to achieve a complete ban will affect the effectiveness of ongoing tobacco control efforts. Finally, she hopes that the bill to ban e-cigarettes can be passed by the Legislative Council as soon as possible to further protect the health of Hong Kong citizens.