As per the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.3 billion people smoke tobacco around the world. The habit is widely frowned upon and in many places around the globe smoking in public is banned. This is also true for Hong Kong, where the nation’s health chief has now urged HongKongers to “stare” at people, who light up in public.
Speaking at a Legislative Council on Friday, Lo Chung-mau said, “When the members of the public see people smoking in non-smoking areas, even if no law enforcement officers can show up immediately, we can stare at the smokers.”
A culture where law is the norm
Dr Lo said that the city must foster a culture where the “people are willing to comply with the law.”
He also said that law enforcement will be improved.
In Hong Kong, smoking in prohibited places like restaurants, workplaces or bus stops or other outdoor places, can attract a fine of HK$1,500 (USD 192).
However, tighter rules are under consideration. These could include tax hikes and ban on tobacco sale to people born after a certain year.
As per the South China Morning Post, Lo said that cigarettes harm everyone, not just the one smoking them.
“When someone takes out a cigarette at a restaurant, everyone on the premises can stare at that person. I do not believe that person would dare to hit back at everyone in the restaurant, as they are simply staring.”
“No one will say it requires the law to compel people to queue. Our society is able to create a culture where people will comply with this rule of queuing when waiting for buses. I hope the whole of society can build a non-smoking culture,” added Lo Chung-mau.
In Hong Kong, various efforts to curb smoking has led to a sharp decline in smoking.
As per a 2022, government health and community press release, only about 9.5 per cent of people in Hong Kong smoked in 2021.
In the 1980s, this figure stood at almost three times, with nearly 25 per cent of the public prone to smoking.
Since 2007, smoking as per Insider is banned in all public indoor spaces. Gradually, it was also banned in public transport terminals.
The Hong Kong government as per the release have set a target of reducing the numbers of smokers to only 7.8 per cent by 2025. To achieve this, during the meeting on Friday, several policies including designating specific smoking areas, strengthening public education about the dangers of smoking etc.
