Doctors have repeatedly called on the financial secretary to increase duty on cigarettes, but he prefers to ignore them ('Tobacco industry lobbying pays rich dividend', March 22). No surprise, since successive Hong Kong administrations have routinely placed corporate wealth above public health.
Health advocates should direct their efforts at elected legislators rather than at pro-business mandarins. Some Hong Kong lawmakers may actually value the health of our people over foreign tobacco companies' profits. These legislators should be encouraged to pass laws that limit the predatory activities of such companies.
First, laws can be passed that declare foreign tobacco executives unwelcome in Hong Kong, persona non grata, similar to the anti-World Trade Organisation activists who will be refused entry later this year. Laws should also be directed at the main cause of this plague, i.e., the availability and addictiveness of cigarettes, by making cigarettes less accessible, unappetising and non-addictive. For example, cigarettes should only be sold in tins of 200 or more, thus making purchase too expensive for teenagers, without depriving adults of their nicotine fix.
One last point, since cigarette consumption creates literally tonnes of waste and careless fires, heavier fines should be imposed on irresponsible smokers to conform with the government dictum that polluters must pay. Suitable laws will help to reduce dirt and disease without depriving surviving tobacco addicts of their freedom to get sick or die early. But will lawyers support such legislation?
J. GARNER, Kowloon
Fear and loathing
We have seen the anti-smoking lobby moving from a hatred of cigarette smoke to a hatred of smokers, with some very strong and biased views being published.
