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Each week our two teenagers debate a hot topic. This week ...
Jeffrey Wong, Diocesan Boys' School
I do not think the government should be responsible for helping people to stop smoking. My belief is based on the role of the government in society and the nature of smoking.
Medical research has confirmed smoking damages health. In fact, it can be fatal.
Governments around the world have stepped up efforts to curb smoking, but few have imposed a total ban.
There must be a reason for this. Smoking is a personal decision. People have a restricted liberty in deciding to smoke - they are allowed to smoke, so long as they do not infringe  anyone else's 'liberty' not to smoke.
On the other hand, smokers must be responsible for their own decision. They have to accept the consequences of their actions. They can't rely on the government to solve their problems.
Secondly, if a government imposes such rules on its people,  it could easily become a dictatorship. The government should not force anyone to make a decision, even if it is beneficial.
By helping people to quit smoking, the government is effectively forcing people into a decision.
I believe the government should focus on actions which directly affect us all, not a foolish few. Anything else is a waste of taxpayers' money.
To sum up, smoking is a personal decision, with which the government should not interfere.
In deciding whether or not to help people stop smoking, a government should take into consideration whether such a policy is helping those most  in need.
Vanessa Lee, Heep Yunn School
Someone once said: 'The government should always help people achieve a longer and better life, which will in turn enhance people's contributions to society.' This quotation clearly indicates the duty of the government and its role in society.
It is a fact smoking poses immense health risks. Cigarettes contain tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Smoking can lead to lung disease, and possibly cause lung cancer.
What's more, a person's risk of developing these diseases is proportional to the length of time that person smokes. But nicotine is addictive, and it's hard to stop.
Therefore the government has an obligation to help people to stop smoking. If people do not have good physical and mental health, there will not be a healthy workforce, and they cannot contribute to society.
According to Lord Devlin, a British judge in the 1960s, laws should be used to regulate particular behaviours for the preservation of the society, as well as the protection of the youth.
The younger generation is extremely vulnerable, and hence society has to impose clear rules which tell them what is right and what is wrong.
If people smoke, they will send the wrong message to teenagers, who will then turn to smoking when facing frustration or depression. This again justifies the responsibility of the government to help people stop smoking.
Public health is an important consideration for the government. For the preservation of the society and the protection of the vulnerable youth, I urge the government to  do everything it can to help smokers quit.



Should the government be responsible for helping people to stop smoking?