The number of people smoking e-cigarettes in Hong Kong more than tripled from 13,200 in 2017 to 42,000 in 2018, according to a survey commissioned by the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH).
At a news conference on 23 May 2019, COSH called for the city’s Legislative Council (LegCo) to pass the e-cigarette ban legislation as soon as possible. The deliberation on the bill is currently adjourned and will resume on June 25.
Although the prevalence of alternative smoking products — including electronic cigarettes and ‘heat not burn’ products — is low, the growth is rapid, said COSH Chairman Antonio Kwong. He urged LegCo to pass a total ban as soon as possible and nip the growth in the bud.
COSH also urged the government to develop long-term tobacco control policies and formulate a timeline for a total ban of smoking to achieve a smoking-free society.
“Although some claim that alternative smoking products may reduce people’s exposure to harmful substances, this was not equivalent to a lower risk of tobacco-related diseases,” said Professor Lam Tai-hing, University of Hong Kong.
Judith Mackay, director of the Asian Consultancy on Tobacco Control and a senior policy adviser to the World Health Organization, said most studies have shown new forms of smoking are unsafe and no less harmful than conventional cigarettes.
“Similar to tactics used for traditional cigarettes in the past, new products are marketed through various channels and include using celebrities to front them. The tobacco industry has opened heat-not-burn product flagship stores, cafes and sponsored public events such as concerts and car races around the world, which is alarming,” she added.
Professor Chia Kee Seng also spoke at the conference, adding that besides imposing a total ban on new tobacco products, Singapore has developed policies to reduce the risk of a tobacco epidemic, including increasing the legal age for purchasing to 21.
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