Hong Kong Education Sector Calls for Anti-Smoking Campaigns Targeting “Aesthetics” to Highlight Dangers of Flavored Tobacco

Hong Kong’s latest smoking prevalence has dropped to a record low of 8.5%, yet it remains short of the 7.8% target set by the government last year.

Tang Fei, a Legislative Councillor representing the education sector, stated on a radio program on May 28 that the younger generation is increasingly gravitating toward flavored tobacco products, likely under the misconception that they are “cool” or fashionable. He argued that traditional, textbook-style anti-smoking education may no longer be effective. Instead, he suggested that school materials should be tailored to the aesthetic preferences of young people to effectively emphasize the specific harms of flavored tobacco.

Earlier this year, the United Kingdom passed a landmark anti-smoking bill that permanently bans the sale of tobacco to anyone born in or after 2009, effectively creating a “smoke-free generation” who will never be legally allowed to purchase tobacco. Tang Fei expressed support for referencing such international practices by prohibiting specific age groups from purchasing tobacco products. However, he acknowledged the increased pressure this would place on law enforcement and suggested that Hong Kong should monitor the implementation of these laws in other regions while setting its own legislative timetable.