Hong Kong Civic Group Calls for Higher Tobacco Tax and Strict Regulation of E-Cigarettes

Editor’s note: It is reported that the Hong Kong SAR government announced a tobacco tax increase in February this year. Sophia Chan, Under Secretary for Food and Health, said the number of people quitting smoking increased after the tax hike. The emergence of e-cigarettes has disrupted the market and should be strictly regulated.
China e-cigarette news: According to Hong Kong’s Wen Wei Po, the Hong Kong SAR government announced an increase in tobacco tax in February this year. Sophia Chan, Under Secretary for Food and Health, said that the number of people quitting smoking had increased after the tobacco tax hike, indicating that the measure was effective. She said Hong Kong’s current smoking rate stands at 10.7%, which is relatively low, and is down 0.4% from previous years, representing a decrease of more than 10,000 people. In response to suggestions that no-smoking areas should be expanded, Chan said some places have banned smoking on certain streets, and the Hong Kong government will refer to relevant experience and consider public opinion, including the reactions of smokers.
Speaking on a television program on June 7, Chan said that since the tobacco tax increase announced earlier this year, the number of calls to smoking cessation hotlines and requests for quitting assistance had both increased. “Calls for help rose by 1.4 times, and requests for smoking cessation assistance more than doubled,” she said, adding that the tax increase had achieved a certain effect.
She believes the current tobacco tax rate has already reached the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 70%, and that there is a need to study tobacco control measures beyond taxation, such as reviewing the scope of smoking bans. She cited Japan as an example, where some busy downtown streets are clearly marked as non-smoking, saying the Hong Kong government would draw on such experience while also considering public opinion, including smokers’ responses.
She pointed out that the Tobacco Control Office is following up on cases involving suspected low-price cigarette promotions by tobacco companies. The Hong Kong government will review current tobacco control measures, including the scope of smoking bans and the effectiveness of regulating promotional advertising. She said that if enforcement is needed, the police would be asked for assistance. As for warning labels on packaging, Chan said the government would review whether the size of warning text and graphic images on cigarette packs should be increased. In some places, retailers are even prohibited from displaying cigarettes on shelves, and the Hong Kong government will also take this into consideration.
Under these circumstances, the emergence of e-cigarettes should also be subject to rational regulation to help protect the health of people trying to quit smoking.