Hong Kong Health Minister Professor Lo Chung-mau has devised a rather unconventional plan in his ministry’s efforts to create a tobacco-free city: Stare at smokers disapprovingly.
According to Hong Kong local media, as quoted by Sky News, Professor Lo stressed that cigarettes can harm the health of the public and staring at them when they light up would create a “non-smoking culture” in the territory.
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He further said that smokers are unlikely to “hit back” if everyone stares at them when they smoke at places where it is prohibited to do so.
The Hong Kong Health Minister asserted,
“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.”
“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 at the restaurant as they are simply staring.”
Hong Kong Health Minister, Professor Lo Chung-mau
Professor Lo compared the scenario with the rule of queuing when waiting for buses. There’s no law that compels people to queue but thanks to the culture, people comply when waiting and boarding buses.
Of course, like in Malaysia, there are laws and regulations in place in Hong Kong that would punish those who smoke in prohibited areas such as parts of restaurants, workplaces, indoor public places and some outdoor public places.
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In Hong Kong, for such an offence, perpetrators face penalties of up to HK$1,500 or approximately RM874 for breaches. The authorities there are also using surveillance footage or video clips provided by the public as evidence to crack down on smokers lighting up in prohibited areas.
Besides that, the Hong Kong authorities are also mulling whether to ban people born after a certain date from buying cigarettes, similar to Malaysia’s generational end game (GEG) plan. Hong Kong is also deliberating whether to increase the tobacco tax to 75% of the package price in a rapid or gradual way.
So, what do you guys think of the anti-smoking initiatives in Hong Kong? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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