A smoking ban on indoor eating and entertainment venues across
Hong Kong, expected to come into effect in October, could be
delayed.
In an apparent victory for the catering and entertainment
industry, the South China Morning Post said, imposition of
the ban is likely to be staggered, giving more time for bars,
saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlors to prepare for the new
regulation.
A government source was quoted as saying Wednesday that under
new proposals restaurants would not become smoke-free until 2007
and bars in 2009. The ban could be delayed until as late as 2011
for saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlors.
The news received a welcome from Hong Kong's catering industry
representatives, who called for more leniency for some types of
venues.
Proposed amendments to the Smoking Ordinance, under study by a
Legislative Council bills committee, are due to be discussed
Friday.
Anthony Lock Kwok-on, spokesman for the Catering and
Entertainment Premises Smoking Ban Regulations Concern Group,
welcomed the new proposal.
"It is wrong to impose a ban on all of us in one go," he was
quoted by the Post as saying. He urged more leniency, predicting
that most saunas and mahjong parlors would close if smoking were
completely banned.
He suggested allowing smoking rooms such as those at
airports.
"These rooms could be very tiny, where no service at all is
offered and customers only enter to smoke. Our workers only need to
go there to clean the room once in a while. It is by no means more
risky than walking in the streets with someone smoking next to
you."
(Shenzhen Daily January 20, 2006)