Will vapes become over-products?

The impact of vapes on health is currently difficult to judge, but the impact is affirmative. With the increasing circulation of vapes in Hong Kong, it is imperative for the Government to ban vapes, conduct corresponding background research, review and revision of regulations, and respond to the current situation with a clear ban, instead of evading related disputes by inaction. By illegally circulating electronic cigarettes in the market, Hong Kong can lead Hong Kong to a true "smoke-free city"

Recently, the medical profession, tobacco control organizations and Legislative Council members have all expressed their opposition. They demand that the Hong Kong Government adhere to the principle of "zero tolerance" for electronic cigarettes. This is undoubtedly worthy of the full support of the public. Liu Zexing, a professor at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, said at a press conference that if the Hong Kong government legalizes vapes, it will increase the chances of young people smoking in the future. Chen Jialiang, dean of the CUHK Medical College, also believes that vapes are the same as traditional cigarettes. It is a health hazard, so the government should not take it lightly. It emphasizes that the CUHK Medical School can stand still in this position. It also proposes that the government should set a timetable for the comprehensive ban on traditional cigarettes. Similarly, the Legislative Council member Citizens Party Guo Rongzhen and the New Democratic Party Chairman Ye Liu Shuyi also clearly stated their opposition to vapes. From the general principle of safeguarding public health, the above-mentioned words are very much. After all, cigarettes are harmful to the body and the environment, and comprehensive tobacco control is also the general direction of world development. But the more important question is how to The concept is transformed into a specific policy and gradually implemented.

Regarding the consideration of the legalization of vapes, one of the core questions is whether this will promote the hurricane and attract more non-smokers to become a springboard for traditional cigarettes, causing moral crisis. According to the statistics of the Census and Statistics Department, the number of smokers in Hong Kong has steadily declined in the past few years. In 2017, the number of smokers per day will be about 10.0%, which is 0.5% lower than that of similar figures in 15 years. The smoking rate among young people (15 to 19 years old) has dropped slightly by 0.1%. However, the number of people who smoked electronic cigarettes has increased significantly. . That is, taking Hong Kong's more popular iQOS as an example, since the sale in the field in 2014, the use of vapes is more like a substitute for smokers. More than the worry of the authorities, the Hong Kong Government must also come up with more Accurate data and research to convince the public that the scourge and negative effects of legalizing vapes are exact.

In the long run, if the government wants to create a smoke-free city, it is necessary to expand the scope of smoking bans and raise taxes on tobacco to increase the cost and difficulty of smokers smoking in public places. At present, in addition to Japan's restricted smokers smoking in designated smoking areas, many developing countries, such as Bhutan, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, have long banned people from smoking on the streets. . In contrast, in Hong Kong, there are still many smokers who smoke while walking around densely populated streets. Therefore, in addition to raising the tax on economic costs, the Hong Kong Government is also considering expanding the scope of public smoking bans and gradually moving towards smoking bans throughout the city. After all, smoking in public places is not a matter of personal freedom, but public health. Therefore, the government has a moral responsibility to regulate smoking in public places and to ensure public health is protected from second-hand smoke.

There is a clear upward trend in the number of people who smoke electronic cigarettes. The government's great priority is to re-examine the loopholes in the regulations to explain to the public the impact of vapes on the human body, or as safe as some reports. At the same time, due to the large amount of uncertainty in the study of vapes, the Hong Kong Government should also treat it in a cautious manner. As in the other 13 countries around the world, such as Singapore, Thailand and Brazil, comprehensive legislation prohibits vapes. Since the smoke-free city has become a Hong Kong government policy target, the legislative dispute on vapes can be regarded as the touchstone of the Hong Kong Government and test the determination and vision of the government in building a smoke-free city.

Since vapes are emerging in recent years and lack long-term data support, the potential impact of vapes on the human body cannot be completely eliminated. In particular, I can't just use IQOS as an example. It should be a form of vape not only IQOS, IQOS is only a brand influence. More electronic cigarettes sold in the electronic cigarette market using e-liquid as a consumable. The electronic cigarette using the e-liquid can be safe and reliable for the ingredients, and can also function to quit smoking and replace tobacco. Only the current key is the lack of long-term data as support. It can be seen that the key to the popularity of vapes is safety data. Whether vapes are just an over-product is waiting to be seen.

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