Tobacco companies have been adding such flavours such as menthol, fruit and confectionaries into conventional smoking products to disguise the harshness of tobacco smoke, making it easier for non-smokers to initiate and maintain a bsmoking habit, the Health Bureau pointed out today.

The statement was made in response to media enquiries regarding the rationale behind the bureau’s proposal to ban flavoured conventional smoking products under a new phase of tobacco control measures.

Research also showed that banning flavoured conventional cigarettes can reduce the chances of young people using tobacco, the bureau added.

The bureau had already stated in the Consultation Document on Tobacco Control Strategies in 2023 as well as subsequent Legislative Council documents that around 50 countries and regions worldwide, including 27 European Union member states, Canada and the UK have banned the sale of flavoured cigarettes. Additionally, China’s Taiwan region announced last year the prohibition of the use of specified flavour additives in tobacco products.

Stressing that banning flavoured conventional smoking products is neither unique to Hong Kong nor “over the top”, the bureau said Hong Kong needs to align itself with international tobacco control policies through legislative work.