Lifestyle-related diseases stemming from tobacco, alcohol and obesity, have taken over infectious diseases such as HIV and malaria to become the greatest killer of people worldwide. Director-General of the World Health Organisation Margaret Chan yesterday released a report that showed non-communicable illnesses including cancer, diabetes and heart disease had contributed to 36.1 million deaths in [...]
Posts under ‘Tobacco’
Smoking on restaurant patios now illegal in SF
Last updated: November 4, 2010 Source: The San Francisco Chronicle Smokers in San Francisco can no longer light up in a restaurant’s outdoor seating area. The law—approved by the city’s Board of Supervisors in March—went into effect this week. Restaurants must not post signs advising customers they can only smoke at the curb or in [...]
Blog: Is Hong Kong eco-trendy or eco-serious?
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/07/hong.kong.plastic.environment/ Miranda Leitsinger, CNN HONG KONG, China (CNN) — A plastic bag levy, a total indoor smoking ban and skyscrapers shutting the lights off? There has been a flurry of environmentally-friendly activity in Hong Kong over the past few weeks. Piles of plastic bags are a common sight on street corners in Hong Kong. [...]
50% Tobacco Tax Increase
The Financial Secretary today announced that the excise duty on tobacco products will be immediately increased by 50% to HK$ 24 per pack above the current levels of just over HK$ 16 per pack. Whilst we have sought a 100% tax increase, Clear the Air estimates that the new increased tax will hopefully: – Reduce [...]
Should The Smoking Ban Be Delayed?
Recent Talkback articles posted in the SCMP related to Air Pollution and Tobacco smoke have strayed off course to also include PM2.5 and PM10 emissions from diesel vehicles in Hong Kong. See these artciles in our Tobacco blog under Smoking Ban.
Buses Create ‘Repulsive’ Bay
Updated on Jan 19, 2009 – SCMP If anyone has any doubts that idling engines cause terrible pollution, then they need only go to Repulse Bay beach on any day of the week. Lines of parked tourist coaches can be seen there for hours each day, each empty (save for the driver) and each spewing [...]
Lung Cancer Is The No1 Killer Disease On The Mainland
Lung cancer is the No1 killer disease on the mainland. In 2005 about 500,000 people were found to have lung cancer and the number is growing by 26.9 per cent annually. Medical experts attribute the high rate of lung cancer primarily to air pollution and widespread smoking (two out of three Chinese men smoke). Unchecked, [...]