Letters | Why Hong Kong must not follow Singapore on e-cigarette ban

Smuggled tobacco is already a problem in the region, and vaping bans are likely to only encourage the black market

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A young e-cigarette smoker in Hong Kong. The city plans to ban vaping and other new smoking products such as heat-not-burn tobacco. Photo: AP

Published: 1:10pm, 21 Apr 2019Updated: 1:10pm, 21 Apr 2019

Hong Kong and other governments in Asia are considering banning e-cigarettes and tobacco branding. Public health is rightly a priority, but blanket bans and the removal of branding and trademarks will not achieve desired outcomes.

Following a hearing on April 13 on the e-cigarette ban, one hopes that Hong Kong lawmakers and bureaucrats really consider all available evidence.

Hong Kong was initially praised for its pragmatic wait-and-see approach on vaping. But here’s the strange thing: now that we know vaping is at least 95 per cent safer than cigarette smoking, and much better for quitting smoking than nicotine replacement treatment, the government has decided to join Singapore and outlaw it too.

In response, as the war against smokers in Asia heats up, Singapore has now passed legislation which will impose anti-brand regulations known as “plain packaging” on cigarettes.

As free-enterprise city states go, Singapore, like Hong Kong, can boast many achievements encompassing success in science, technology and financial services. But plain packaging will tarnish this reputation.

Thailand passed a plain packaging bill in December last year. With Malaysia also considering the measure, it seems there is a race to become the first market in Asia to roll out the controversial policy.