Residents of Hong Kong are uncomfortable with smokers in order to make their city tobacco-free

Even though smoking is dangerous, many individuals nevertheless do it. The Hong Kong government has now developed a remedy in an effort to discourage smoking. In order to build a tobacco-free city, the territory’s health minister advised that people should make eye contact with smokers and look them down. At a hearing of the Legislative Council’s health service panel, Professor Lo Chung-mau said, “Cigarettes can harm the health of all of us.” He said, “Even if no law enforcement personnel can arrive right away, we may gaze at the smokers when the public sees them smoking in non-smoking locations.

He also said that everyone present is free to gaze at someone who lights up a cigarette in a public place like a restaurant. He said, “I don’t think that person would dare hit back at everyone in the restaurant as they are just staring.”

According to Professor Lo, such behavior would contribute to the development of a “non-smoking culture.” He also cautioned that authorities would target smokers using surveillance material that had been submitted by the general population.

The present smoking rules in Hong Kong make it illegal to smoke in bars, offices, and certain other areas, and a fine of up to Rs. 22,000 may be imposed for doing so.

In the meanwhile, Sweden, which has the lowest rate of smoking in the EU, is almost at the point where it will be deemed “smoke free.” Experts say that decades of anti-smoking efforts and laws are to blame for this.