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Electronic cigarettes|Complete ban on sales from 4.30 The concern group is dissatisfied that traditional cigarettes can still be sold: a series of banning channels

2022-04-25T23:16:11.847Z


The government stipulates that starting from this Saturday (30th), the import, manufacture, sale, distribution and promotion of alternative smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and heated cigarettes will be prohibited. There are still a few days before the ban is implemented, and "smokers" rushed to buy a large amount of inventory.


The government stipulates that starting from this Saturday (30th), the import, manufacture, sale, distribution and promotion of alternative smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and heated cigarettes will be prohibited.

A few days before the ban was implemented, "smokers" rushed to buy a large amount of inventory, and some merchants' sales surged threefold, claiming that they would pick up the goods from wholesalers after they sold out.

Some stores have recently launched a "buy one get one free" promotion, and there are also 30% off closing and clearing.


The heated cigarette concern group said that heated cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, and governments around the world tend to regulate, criticizing the contradictions of the government's decision to ban smoking, hoping that the next chief executive can "set things right", "One system will ban all the canals, I don’t even have traditional cigarettes, so I have nothing to say.” The Hong Kong Smoking and Health Committee emphasized that the concentration of nicotine and tar in heated cigarettes is similar to that of traditional cigarettes, and another 80 substances are more harmful to health. The one-term government has comprehensively strengthened the tobacco control policy to achieve the "tobacco endgame".


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Smokers rushed to buy heating hoods, some people bought 15

Mr. Guan, the owner of a heated tobacco store, started selling heated tobacco machines in seven years, accounting for about 30% of the store's business volume.

He revealed that the sales in recent months have tripled, and he has contacted several customers every day to inquire, and each person bought two to three on average. Some customers even bought 15 in large quantities, and all the stocks were sold out in the middle of the month.

He also expects to sell 2,000 units throughout April, so he is not afraid of the risk of loss, and then picks up the goods from wholesalers. "I am confident that it will be sold before the end of the month."

According to a survey by the Hong Kong Newspaper Vendor Association, about one-third of the smokers use e-cigarettes, accounting for about 200,000 people in Hong Kong.

The survey also showed that 700 respondents refused to quit smoking, 90% of them switched to traditional cigarettes, and the rest chose "other channels" to continue to buy heated tobacco products.

Mr. Lu, a member of the Heated Tobacco Concern Group, believes that after May, some users still choose to follow the law, insist on using heated cigarettes, and purchase pods (tobacco agents made from heated tobacco) through illegal channels such as "dangerous places", such as the black market. ), it is estimated that there is an opportunity for the supply of goods to flow in through mainland China.

Guan said, "Usually, if customers have the means, they will naturally have confidence in buying the opportunity."

The mainland will ban the sale of e-cigarettes other than tobacco flavors from May

In fact, according to the data, the mainland is the largest producer of electronic cigarettes, but the market is booming, and the problem of young people's smoking has also arisen.

The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration has recently issued a new version of the "Administrative Measures for Electronic Cigarettes", which will also be implemented on May 1. The purpose is to strengthen the supervision of the electronic cigarette market, including prohibiting the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes other than tobacco flavors, as well as those that can add atomizers themselves. Electronic cigarettes to prevent "easy entry" flavors from becoming a guide.

Zhang Jianshu, president of the Beijing Tobacco Control Association, said, "If the role of e-cigarettes is to help quit smoking, they should only provide tobacco flavors."

Lu believes that e-cigarettes can withstand scientific evidence, and more and more countries are inclined to regulate them. Therefore, it is not clear that the Hong Kong government is going against the trend of the world and should follow the policies of the mainland.

He called on the only candidate for chief executive, Li Jiachao, to "set things right" after he took office, and to change the current government's contradictory decisions, which will convince all smokers in Hong Kong.

"Most users of heated cigarettes have switched from traditional cigarettes. This class of people will not stop eating cigarettes because they are banned. Some people will say: Can't buy heated cigarettes? "

Mr. Lu (left), a member of the Heated Tobacco Concern Group, and Mr. Guan (right), the owner of a heated cigarette shop, hope that Li Jiachao will "set things right" after he is elected.

(Photo by Liang Pengwei)

Promoting regulation instead of prohibition: raising the age of purchasing cigarettes

The concern group emphasized that the purpose of the organization is not to induce young people to smoke, but to speak out for smokers and defend the choice of products that reduce harm to the body and even help quit smoking.

The concern group also suggested that Japan's regulatory approach could be followed, including raising the age for purchasing cigarettes; or dividing the scope of smoking, such as making good use of telephone booths as smoking areas, so that non-smokers would not be affected; and adding penalties for "locomotives", etc. .

Kwan also believes that regulation and prohibition of heated cigarettes are not binary oppositions, criticizing the current government decision-making contradiction:

One department banned everything, not even traditional cigarettes, so I have nothing to say.

Since you allow traditional cigarettes, how about lighting solutions without heating cigarettes?

Mr. Guan, the owner of the heated tobacco shop

Use nicotine to reduce work stress, hide from the toilet and smoke heated cigarettes

As a smoker for 22 years, Lu Yu has a son. He admits that he often uses nicotine to reduce work pressure and has never thought of quitting smoking: "If I think about it, he has already quit since he was born." Smoking heated cigarettes in the toilet to reduce the impact on the family.

Due to the strong smell of traditional cigarettes, he expected to smoke on the back stairs of the building when all the pods were used up.

"I eat cigarettes myself, but I explained to the boy that this is a bad influence on my father's side. Now I can't quit smoking." He said that he had never smoked in front of his son, and believed that smoking cessation would increase the risk of minors. Curiosity, it is recommended to educate the next generation in ways other than smoking ban.

"I won't eat cigarettes in front of him, but I will tell him that when you eat cigarettes, running will make you gasp, and you won't be able to play on the slide."

Mong Kok closes after 30% off before the deadline

The reporter also visited several shopping malls in Mong Kok last week and found that many specialized stores still sell a variety of electronic cigarette products.

Many stores have opened online stores for pyramid schemes, but the reporter found that some Instagram accounts have been disabled or e-cigarette products have been removed from the shelves.

Some smokers said that they would quit smoking after the sale of electronic cigarettes was banned, and they would not even eat "cigarettes"; others said that under the current mask ban, the number of smoking has been reduced, and they simply "rejected the addiction" after making the law.

Only traditional smokers said that they never smoked e-cigarettes, so the legislation has little impact, and "some people may return to traditional cigarettes."

Council on Smoking and Health: Laying the groundwork for a 'tobacco end'

Regarding the government's ban on alternative smoking products, the Committee on Smoking and Health responded to "Hong Kong 01" that it was passed last year with the approval of the majority of the Legislative Council, which effectively responded to the expectations of the general public and laid the foundation for Hong Kong to achieve a "tobacco end" in the future. .

The committee reiterates that there are no safe smoking products in the world, referring to the fact that heated cigarettes (pods) contain real tobacco, which also produces second-hand smoke that is toxic and carcinogenic, which is not only harmful to the health of others, but also addictive.

In terms of ingredients, nicotine and tar concentrations are more similar to traditional cigarettes; another 80 substances are unique to heated cigarettes or have higher concentrations than traditional cigarettes, including 4 that are carcinogenic and 15 that are genotoxic.

The committee criticized that in the past few years, under the misleading propaganda of tobacco companies, many citizens mistakenly believed that heated cigarettes were "less smoke and less harmful" and smoked next to their family members, exposing them to second-hand and third-hand smoke for even longer. Longer in the past, endangering health.

Therefore, it is hoped that the new government will comprehensively strengthen the tobacco control policy, so as to achieve the "end of tobacco", eliminate all tobacco products, and protect the health of the public.

Ban Heated Tobacco│Concerns about the rampant illicit cigarettes urge the establishment of a review committee to review the effectiveness of the new law Ban on heated cigarettes|The Hong Kong government intends to ban all heated cigarettes Withdrawal of the amendment: Why ban heated cigarettes before traditional cigarettes The government plans to ban heated cigarettes The tourism industry calls for reference to foreign regulations, otherwise the mainland group may be reduced by 30% to ban e-cigarettes | Sales of e-cigarettes will be banned from April next year: Some customers have already bought 60 boxes pod

Source: hk1

All news articles on 2022-04-25

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