70% of Hongkongers under 25 have tried e-cigarettes: university poll
Some 60 per cent of respondents also say they picked flavoured cigarettes or other alternative tobacco products due to peer pressure
Nearly 70 per cent of Hongkongers aged under 25 have tried e-cigarettes, while 60 per cent said they picked alternative tobacco products because of peer pressure, a university study has found.
Separate research by another university found that more than one-third of regular smokers supported plain packaging for cigarettes, which Hong Kong plans to implement in 2027.
The government proposed 10 tobacco control measures in June last year, including plain packaging requirements and banning flavoured cigarettes, as well as alternative smoking products (ASPs) such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes.
“The lack of the traditional horrid tobacco odour, together with promotions online, has deceived teenagers into thinking that ASPs like e-cigarettes are less harmful and will not affect others,” Eva Ho Ka-yan, an associate professor at PolyU’s nursing school, said on Friday.
“It is extremely easy for teenagers to come into contact with ASPs if they go to clubs or bars. There are even videos on YouTube showing them how to set up a water pipe to smoke at home, which brings these activities back to their homes and turns them into daily routines.”
A research programme by the school randomly approached about 2,000 people, while another 2,500 had called it to inquire about services to help them quit smoking.