E-cigarettes, smoking in a queue to be banned
E-cigarettes, flavoured cigarettes and lighting up while in a queue are set to be banned in Hong Kong, as part of measures designed to bring about a "cultural change" when it comes to smoking.  A ban on selling or importing alternative smoking products (ASP) came into force more than two years ago, but it is still legal to possess them.  Deputy Secretary for Health Eddie Lee on Thursday said the government plans to outlaw e-cigarettes and similar products completely.  "One should not be able to have any legal means to purchase or to get hold of such ASP. So anyone who is still using ASP currently... presumably they are using the stocks that they purchased before April 2022," he said.  "So a reasonable assumption is that by a certain time... if they possessed any ASP, should have already consumed all of the remaining leftover." Other planned measures aimed at cutting the number of smokers in the SAR include removing branding from cigarette packaging and a ban on smoking while in queues for public transport, theme parks or medical facilities.  Smoke-free areas will also be extended to the entrances and exits of all childcare centres, schools and homes for the elderly. The fine for smoking in smoke-free areas will be doubled to HK$3,000.  Existing laws banning the sale of cigarettes to under-18s will be extended to cover those who offer them to minors. "The key principle is that we want to protect our youngsters, our next generation. So what we are doing now is actually an education process, a cultural change, a behavioural change," Lee said.  "I think another important aspect is that through education and promotion, we will educate our young people that they should not receive tobacco products. At the same time, we send a very clear message to the adults that one should not sell, nor should one provide such tobacco products to our young people." Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau said the harm of smoking should not be sugar-coated, so flavoured cigarettes will also be banned.  "These flavoured cigarettes with additives are actually like an advertisement trying to hide the irritating taste of the smoke and at the same time hiding the harmful effect of all these tobacco products to make it like a sugar coating on a toxic product," he said.  To combat illicit cigarettes, the government will introduce a duty-paid cigarette labelling system and double the fine for smuggling illicit cigarettes to HK$2 million, while increasing the jail term from two to seven years. In addition, the government will continue to increase tobacco duty to discourage smoking. Lo said the government aims to table the legislative amendments required before the end of this year.  He said the government aims to reduce the smoking prevalence rate from the current 9.1 percent to 7.8 percent next year. Michael, a cigarette smoker, told RTHK that more people will use conventional tobacco products when electronic cigarettes are completely banned. "If that would be illegal, then more people would be returning to buying cigarettes. Because most of them, they try to quit smoking with the electronic cigarettes such as vape," he said. "But then now, if they're going to ban it, then I think it'll be much more difficult for people to quit smoking." A non-smoker surnamed Chan said she welcomes the government's plans. "Because I don't smoke, I support it. I don't really want to inhale second-hand smoke. In the past, for example, when queuing or taking the elevator, there would often be someone next to me smoking. I would just walk away. I wouldn't hang around," she said.