HONG KONG: The government wants smokers to desist from their dangerous habit voluntarily, however, it will not exclude more stringent measures, including the possibility of a complete ban on tobacco products in the future.

Speaking on a radio program Friday, Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said he believed economic incentives are effective means to help teenagers quit smoking. He said he hoped the sharp increase in tobacco duty proposed in Wednesday's budget would reduce the population of smokers.

While the percentage of smokers aged 15 to 19 edged downward to 2.4 percent last year from 3.5 percent in 2005, the average daily number of cigarettes smoked increased from 9 to 11 over the same period.

Chow expected over 10 percent of smokers to kick the habit as a result of the rise in the tobacco tax.

The Department of Health received about 90 inquiries about smoking cessation programs Thursday, the day following the budget announcement. That's a nine-fold increase over the norm.

In response to increased demand for smoking cessation services and the end of deferments on localized smoking bans coming in July, Director of Health Lam Ping-yan said the Tobacco Control Office would recruit more workers. The government has appropriated HK$3.3 million for the Office.

Chow revealed the government considered a complete ban on tobacco in Hong Kong, but decided it is not the right time yet.

"Tobacco duty is not a major source of income to Hong Kong so we can implement (a sweeping ban). Yet Hong Kong respects freedom so we encourage smoking cessation through other measures. We wouldn't exclude consideration of a complete ban in the future," he said.

He later added the government sees no point in implementing a full ban now, since current measures have proven effective.

Li Cheong-lung, chief executive officer of Committee on Youth Smoking Prevention, said the government must deal thoroughly with technical details if it introduces a sweeping ban on tobacco.

"It's good to have this idea, but you see the rise in tobacco duty has raised concern such as smuggled cigarettes," he said.

Chow agreed the rise in tobacco duty will give more incentive to smugglers. "Yet the Customs and Excise Department has also considered that they have sufficient measures and resource to deal with the problem," he said.

The health chief revealed he quit smoking twice when he was 14 while studying abroad.

"I spent the money for cigarettes to develop other healthy habits so I quit successfully. Young smokers can also do so," he said.

(HK Edition 02/28/2009 page4)