HONG KONG
The Hong Kong government’s stance on tobacco health warnings continues to go against WHO guidelines, insisting on retaining the display of the tar and nicotine yields on tobacco packaging.
Under the proposed amendment, the number of forms of health warning will be increased from the current 6 to 12, and the size of the graphic health warning will be expanded to cover at least 85% of a packet’s two largest surfaces, while indication of tar and nicotine content has to appear on a surface other than the ones bearing the health warning.
WHO guidelines for implementing Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control advises that contracting parties (including Hong Kong) should not require quantitative statements on product packaging and labelling about tobacco constituents and emissions that might imply that one brand is less harmful than another, such as the tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide figures.
Hong Kong’s Legislative Council’s panel on health services discussed the government proposals last December, followed by a public hearing in January for stakeholders and members of the public to express their views. Legislators repeatedly questioned Food and Health Bureau officials on why the government has not adopted WHO’s suggestion of removing displays of tar and nicotine yields on cigarette packaging.
The question was raised again in a panel meeting in February, but the bureau official simply said that, given the government’s progressive approach, it is necessary to retain the indication of tar and nicotine yields to make the public aware of the existence of suchsubstances.