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SCMP Reporter

Second-hand tobacco smoke does more harm to health than any other air pollutants. It is therefore important for non-smokers to be protected from the hazards of passive smoking in public places.

Breathing in other people's smoke is called passive smoking.  Second-hand smoke consists of mainstream smoke  (15 per cent)  exhaled from the smoker, and side stream smoke  (85 per cent)  from the  cigarette. The concentrations of some cancer- causing  chemicals are higher in side stream than in mainstream smoke.

People  exposed to second- hand smoke may  suffer from:

Eye irritation and other allergies

Nasal problems

Cough, asthma and wheezing

Decreased  appetite and sense of taste and smell.

Those exposed to second- hand smoke for a long period will have an increased risk of:

Lung cancer

Heart disease

Serious respiratory illness.

Currently, under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, smoking is not permitted in most indoor public areas such as pub lic forms of transport,  theatres, games centres, supermarkets, banks, department stores and shopping  centres. The law also requires restaurants with 200 seats or more to designate at least one-third of the area as  non-smoking.  Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $5,000.

Given that Hong Kong has a non-smoking population of  85 per cent, only one-third of the area in restaurants is  not enough to meet non-smokers' needs.

There are still many restaurants which do not provide a smoke-free  section at all. People who  eat in these restaurants are unprotected from second-hand smoke.

Many restaurant owners and managers are reluctant to provide a non-smoking section because they say it is not good for business or that their customers do not demand it.

However, according to a survey conducted by the Department of Community Medicine, University of Hong Kong in 1999, over 94 per cent of the population supported the proposal that half of the seats in all restaurants should be  for non-smokers. Most people would prefer restaurants with non-smoking sections, especially when accompanied by children, and most would choose to eat in non- smoking areas.

The survey also indicated that if all restaurants were smoke- free, 20 per cent of the respondents would go to restaurants more often.

Experience in the United States has shown that a total ban on smoking in restaurants did not affect business or tourism.

The argument that customers do not demand non-smoking area in restaurants may be true, perhaps due to local culture.  Most people do not ask for  things if it might embarrass others  or create an uncomfortable situation. So, people tend not to ask for non-smoking seats; complain when one is not available; or walk out.

It is time we changed this culture.

COSH welcomes your views and comments on any tobacco-related issues. You can contact us by fax on 2575-3966 or by e-mail at coshhk@netvigator.com

Graphic: YPSMOKGLO



Non-smokers should speak up for their rights to smoke-free places