LEGISLATORS and teachers have called for stricter censorship on comic books depicting violence and sex after police revealed that some schoolchildren have been learning about triad lifestyles from the books.
They also demand more action against hawkers and book-sellers who sell youngsters the books - although most of them have been clearly labelled as ''not suitable for under-18s''.
Police yesterday admitted many students got to know about triad societies from comic books but said they could do nothing to control the contents of a publication.
Detective Inspector Gordon Chan Kwoo-leung, of Wan Chai police district, said some students liked to pretend to be triad society members after reading comic books.
''Some pupils arrested by us said they usually learned some of the names of triad societies from the books,'' said Inspector Chan, who also heads the school liaison team of the district's anti-triad section.
''They are not triad members but they follow what is said in the book and pretend to be members. They think they will be more powerful if they have some triad knowledge,'' he said.
The publisher of one of the most violent comic books, which depicted fights among local triads, had been warned by police. It had since changed the story setting to Japan, Inspector Chan said.