NEARLY 96 per cent of children aged between seven and 15 have never smoked, a survey revealed yesterday.
But the findings were immediately attacked because the youngsters gave their answers at home - sometimes in front of their parents.
Commissioned by the Tobacco Institute of Hong Kong, the survey was conducted by the Children's Research Unit and Survey Research Hongkong.
'The result clearly shows that children in this age group are predominantly a non-smoking generation in Hong Kong,' said Glen Smith, unit chairman.
The children were aware of a wide variety of product advertising, including tobacco and alcohol, but that did not translate into usage, he said.
A survey commissioned by the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) in November 1994 showed 61 per cent of junior high school boys and 48 per cent of girls had smoked cigarettes before they were 16.