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Cigarettes containing low levels of tar and nicotine were still harmful and the best way to protect one's health was to quit smoking, a spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said today (April 15).
According to the 2007 findings of the Government Laboratory on the tar and nicotine yields of 77 brands of cigarettes in Hong Kong, the spokesman noted that the average tar and nicotine yields were 9.4 milligrammes and 0.69 mg per cigarette respectively, representing a rise of 0.5 mg for tar and a drop of 0.08 mg for nicotine respectively compared with the findings of 2006.
He stressed that even cigarettes in the low-tar group were harmful to smokers' health.
"When smokers choose cigarettes in this group instead of those from 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 a range of chronic diseases like cancers and heart problems," he said.
In view of this, the requirement to bear tar group designation on tobacco products has been repealed in the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance.
Members of the public can obtain details of the Government Laboratory's review from its website at www.govtlab.gov.hk.
The spokesman reminded people that both smoking and passive smoking were hazardous to health. Smoking cessation services are provided by both the DH and the Hospital Authority to safeguard the health of the community.
The trade is also reminded that starting October 27, 2007, the law requires that health warnings should be of a size covering at least 50% of the principal surface area of the packages of any tobacco products with an aim to alert smokers.
For more information on quitting smoking, please visit the website of the DH's Tobacco Control Office at www.tco.gov.hk or call the office's hotline 1833 183.
Ends/Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:02
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