Authorities should ban both heat-not-burn tobacco and e-cigarettes, as it is misleading to say the former is healthier than the latter, Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health said.
The council said government statistics showed that teenagers in Hong Kong smoke heated tobacco more frequently than adults.
Council chairman Henry Tong Sau-chai said society has a strong consensus on a total ban on alternative smoking products.
“However, it has been almost three years since the policy address first announced a ban on alternative smoking products,” he said.
An amendment was proposed in the Legislative Council to regulate heated tobacco products, instead of banning them outright, in Hong Kong.
The council said health risks associated with the use of heated tobacco products have been proven by scientists worldwide.
“Regulating heated tobacco products will lead to more loopholes being exploited to hinder progress towards the tobacco endgame goal,” Tong said. To safeguard public health and to void rekindling the tobacco epidemic, the council “strongly urged” Legco to push ahead with the implementation of a total ban on all alternative smoking products.
Vienna Lai Wai-yin, the executive director of the council, said a regulatory approach is impractical, adding that regulating heated tobacco will only lead to more loopholes being exploited and bring about difficulties in monitoring.
Instead, a complete ban could help the government lower the costs for regulation.
The council also conducted research with the University of Hong Kong and found that adolescent users of heated tobacco products are at greater risk for respiratory symptoms than cigarette smokers.
Their research showed that the risk for heated tobacco product users regarding persistent respiratory symptoms such as coughs, congestion, or phlegm for at least three months is 88 percent higher than those who never smoke heated tobacco and 46 percent higher than traditional cigarette smokers.
Instead of helping smokers quit cigarettes, heated tobacco could pose health risks with nicotine addiction, the council said.
“Two thirds of citizens supported a total ban on alternative smoking products including HTPs and e-cigarettes, including 40 percent of current smokers.” said Kelvin Wang Man-pang, an associate professor at HKU’s nursing school.
The survey showed “no imminent demand” for heated tobacco and other alternative smoking products and the tobacco companies’ claims that alternative smoking products help smokers quit to be “unsubstantiated.”
Eunice Lam – The Standard – 2021-08-04.
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