Minor access control of Hong Kong under the framework convention on tobacco control

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Health Policy

Publication Date

5-2010

Volume

95

Issue

2-3

First Page

204

Last Page

210

Publisher

Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Keywords

Compliance check, Tobacco retailers, Minors, Access control, Cigarette, Smoking, Advocacy, Asia

Abstract

Background: Asia's tobacco control movement was strengthened owing to the need to fulfill the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Objective: The present study aims to assess the compliance rates of tobacco retailers to the law forbidding the sales of tobacco to minors in Hong Kong before and after the growth of the tobacco control movement brought by the enactment of the newly amended tobacco control law with effect from 2007. The legislation was enacted to fulfill the FCTC.

Design and method: Two waves of territory-wide compliance checks conducted in 2006 and 2008 were compared. The compliance check was conducted using Standard Protocol.

Result: The overall compliance rate was still low though it increased from 18.9% in 2006 to 27.0% in 2008. The compliance rate of convenience stores and newspaper stands improved whereas the rate for restaurants, grocery stores and petrol stations worsened. Less tobacco retailing outlets displayed a specified warning sign required in 2008 (33.7%) comparing to 2006 (41.4%).

Conclusion: The indoor smoking ban of the FCTC unintentionally changed the cigarette retailing landscape and finally improved the compliance rate. The case study also demonstrated that the Asia region still has much room for improvement in fulfilling the FCTC in term of effective implementation and enforcement.

DOI

10.1016/j.healthpol.2009.11.023

Print ISSN

01688510

E-ISSN

18726054

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc.

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Kan, M.-y., & Lau, M. (2010). Minor access control of Hong Kong under the framework convention on tobacco control. Health Policy, 96(2-3), 204-210. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2009.11.023

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