Q Should Legco support the new anti-smoking package?
Economists at the World Bank have examined the economics of creating smoke-free workplaces, as is currently proposed in Hong Kong. Their conclusion: employers who keep their workplaces smoke-free enjoy net benefits.
Employers bear direct and indirect costs as a result of employees' smoking, including: absenteeism, decreased productivity, early retirements due to ill health, higher annual health-care costs for smokers and higher health insurance costs, higher life insurance premiums, higher maintenance and cleaning costs, higher risk of fire damage and higher fire insurance premiums.
The World Bank economists further state: 'Fears in the hospitality industry [hotels, restaurants, etc] that smoking bans may damage business interests are largely unfounded. Studies of hotels, bars and restaurants in several US states, Canada and Australia all show that smoking bans do not result in business drop-off.'
Judith Mackay, Clear Water Bay
Allow me to clarify a few matters on smoking raised by one of your correspondents:
