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Cigarettes containing low levels of tar and nicotine did not mean that they were less harmful and the best way to protect health was to quit smoking, a spokesman for the Department of Health said today (April 13).
The spokesman said that according to the findings of the latest review of the tar and nicotine yields of 88 brands of cigarettes in Hong Kong in 2005, the average tar and nicotine yields were 9.1 milligrams and 0.76 millgrams per cigarette (mg/cig) respectively, representing a drop of 0.8 mg/cig and 0.06 mg/cig respectively over the findings of 2004.
Of the 88 brands, 50 are classified in the low-tar group (0-9mg/cig), 37 in the middle-tar group (10-14mg/cig), and one in the high-tar group (15-17 mg/cig).
The spokesman stressed that cigarettes even in the low-tar group are harmful to smokers' health.
"When smokers choose cigarettes in this group instead of cigarettes in the middle-tar or high-tar groups, they may take larger and more frequent puffs or even smoke more cigarettes each day.
"Quitting smoking is the only way to reduce a smoker's risk of developing diseases such as heart disease and cancers," the spokesman said.
In the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005 the Government has proposed to delete the tar group designation.
The spokesman said examination of tar and nicotine yields of the popular brands of cigarettes in Hong Kong had been conducted by the Government Laboratory on an annual basis since 1983.
People can obtain details of the review for 2005 from the Government Laboratory website at http://www.govtlab.gov.hk.
The spokesman reminded people that both smoking and secondhand smoke were hazardous to health. Smoking cessation services, including counselling and nicotine replacement therapy to smokers, are provided by the department and the Hospital Authority to safeguard the health of the community.
The department also set up the Tobacco Control Office (TCO) in 2001 to co-ordinate and enhance the Government's tobacco control efforts.
People may visit the TCO website at http://www.tco.gov.hk or call the office's hotline 1833 183 to obtain more information on stopping smoking.
Ends/Thursday, April 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:57
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