China
The Hong Kong government yesterday said it would consider a ban on electronic cigarettes after the city’s anti-smoking watchdog called for “personal vaporizers” to be banned. Hours after the Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) presented its survey results, secretary for food and health Dr Ko Wing-man said the government was “inclined to agree” with the council’s request due to some “proven health risks”.
“There is also a risk that youngsters would pick up smoking cigarettes after they begin smoking e-cigarettes, which is why we are inclined to accept COSH’s recommendations,” said Ko. He added that detailed studies would be required before they could proceed with legislation. A University of Hong Kong telephone survey of 2,400 local residents found that only 1.8% of respondents used electronic cigarettes. But the council insisted that a preemptive approach was still needed.
E-cigarettes can be sold legally in Hong Kong if they do not contain nicotine. However, any product with more than 0.1% nicotine is required to be registered with the health department.