The bill for a universal ban in local casinos will be nailed down by the end of the current legislative year on August 15, 2017, the chairman of the second standing committee of the Legislative Assembly, Chan Chak Mo, said yesterday.
Following yesterday’s meeting, both the legislator and Health Bureau Director Lei Chin Ion told reporters that the bill is still under discussion.
Even though whether to allow smoking rooms in casinos following the implementation of the bill remains one of the most contentious issues most of the committee members support the government conducting a full smoking ban, the health official said.
At present, smoking is prohibited on the mass gaming floors of local casinos, and is only permitted in smoking lounges and VIP rooms. The government-backed bill, meanwhile, proposes banning smoking in all indoor areas of gaming venues, as well as eliminating the current smoking lounges.
In May, the AL sub-committee chairman stated that seven of the nine committee members supported the establishment of smoking lounges if it could be ensured that the smoke from these rooms would not permeate to outside areas, with only two members objecting to the suggestion.
In addition, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng has stated the government could be open to new approaches to the smoking ban but that the bill would not be abandoned despite disagreements between lawmakers.
Smoking decisions
During yesterday’s AL sub-committee meeting, legislative members suggested cigarettes not be displayed in local shops, as this elicits young people to purchase them; in addition, they suggested tobacco shops install smoking rooms as well, according to the Health Bureau Director.
He reaffirmed the government’s position that no smoking rooms should be installed in tobacco shops and that cigarette brand exposure should be reduced to a minimum.
In terms of banning the sales of electronic cigarettes, the Health Bureau Director stated that although recent studies reveal “electronic smoking is, in fact, unhealthier than normal cigarettes,” the government wasn’t mulling a ban despite the paradox of allowing users of these products to enter the city.
