Officials call for tougher action over illicit cigarette ads targeting Hong Kong teens
- Sha Tin district councillors report rise in advertisements, including some with images of ‘pretty girls’ as bait, being circulated
Advertising stickers promoting illicit cigarettes have appeared in public spaces in several parts of Hong Kong, with three district councillors urging authorities to step up law enforcement and removal efforts for such advertisements, including those targeting teens.
Community Development Pulsation, a non-profit group promoting sustainable development in the city, said on Tuesday there had also been a rise in complaints in the past fortnight about promotional fliers for illegal cigarettes being distributed at public housing estates.
Group member Leung Ka-wai, who is also a Sha Tin district councillor, said the advertising stickers were posted in bus stations, at rubbish collection points, in toilets in shopping centres and on the back of the seats in buses and minibuses in Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, North district and Tuen Mun.
“Take one sticker as an example, its design is quite pretty. There is a picture of a beautiful girl and it is very colourful,” he said, adding that there were also two “hotline numbers” for placing orders written on it.
“It states that delivery service can be provided throughout Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, with ‘free samples given’ and ‘pretty girls taking phone calls’. These words are basically a sales pitch to lure teenagers.”
Leung also said the ads promoted a bundle consisting of 10 packs of cigarettes, sold at HK$350 (US$45).