DIKSIA.COM - Hong Kong Health Ministry chief Lo Chung-mau is urging the public to stare at people who dare to smoke in non-smoking areas.
The Independent reports that Lo Chung-mau's plan is to discourage people from smoking in areas where smoking is prohibited.
“When people see people smoking in non-smoking areas, they just glare at the smokers, even if no police officers show up,” said Dr. Lo on Friday (07/14/2023) at the Hong Kong Legislative Council.
dr Lo said Hong Kong must foster a culture where “people are willing to obey the law.”
It added that there are plans to step up enforcement efforts to achieve this goal.
dr Lo answered the question about founding a tobacco-free city.
He wanted to show that the responsibility for catching smokers cannot lie solely with the police.
Hong Kong is currently in the process of strengthening anti-tobacco measures.
According to current regulations, smoking is prohibited in restaurants, at work, in public indoor areas and in certain public outdoor areas.
Hong Kong fines people who smoke in banned places up to HK$1,500 (2.8 million rupees).
The city is also considering raising cigarette taxes and introducing a ban that would ban people born after certain years from buying tobacco products.
“Nobody would say that there needs to be a law requiring people to queue at bus stops,” said Dr. Lo.
“Our society is capable of creating a culture where people play by the rules while waiting for the bus.”
“I hope that society as a whole can build a smoke-free culture.”
Earlier last week, the Hong Kong government officially presented a consultation proposal for a new anti-smoking strategy.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills more than 8 million people every year.
“More than 7 million of these deaths are due to direct tobacco use, and another 1.2 million to second-hand smoke by non-smokers,” the WHO wrote on its website.
Mexico, a country that recently introduced a smoking ban
Mexico has completely banned smoking in all public places, including hotels and beaches, since early 2023.
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