Hong Kong school principals demand full e-cigarettes ban after children younger than 10 seen smoking
- Head teachers unite in calling for use of new smoking products to be outlawed, fearing young children will move on to conventional cigarettes
- A bill banning the sale, related activities of such products still stuck with lawmakers, some of whom oppose prohibition when regular cigarettes remain legal
The principals said youngsters who dabbled in alternative forms of smoking were more likely to try conventional cigarettes as they called for broader legislation that specifically outlawed the use of such products.
Despite a consensus among pro-establishment lawmakers for banning e-cigarettes, some representing commercial and industrial sectors have questioned the validity of outlawing heated tobacco while continuing to allow the sale of standard cigarettes they describe as more harmful.
In a bid to push through the proposed legislation before the current Legco term ends in October, a source revealed that health officials and those drafting the bill were considering provisions to further discourage the sale of traditional cigarettes as well as a slight relaxation of the pending heated tobacco ban.
The principals, in their call for action, urged authorities to work towards turning Hong Kong into a smoke-free city by first targeting new smoking products.
They cited a University of Hong Kong study in April, which found that about 1,500 primary school and 7,500 secondary school students had used heated tobacco products between 2018 and 2019. Their appeal also pointed to an alarming trend in young people picking up smoking habits.
