Hong Kong has seen an increase in calls to its smoking cessation hotline following the tobacco tax increase to 70 percent. Legislative Council member Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan has asked the government to enhance assistance to people who wish to quit smoking, according to The Standard.
Cigarettes in Hong Kong now cost at least HKD94 ($12.01).
Following the announcement of the tax hike, the weekly average number of people calling the quit-smoking hotline increased by four times.
Chan has expressed concern that the government may not follow up on the cases and determine how many people are successful in quitting smoking or how many people eventually resume smoking. According to Chan, there is a need for continuous efforts to understand the reasons behind successful quitting and the challenges of those who resume smoking.
She also called for comprehensive tobacco control policies by “focusing on target groups, such as teenagers, and implementing measures to track families in order to prevent teenagers from smoking.”
“The government should focus on better education and promotional efforts instead of solely relying on increasing tobacco duty,” said Peter Shiu Ka-fai of the wholesale and retail sector. He argued that it is important to inform smokers of the harmful effects of cigarettes and respect their choices.