Medical Sector Unites To Demand E-cigarettes Ban

Representatives from across the medical sector on Tuesday voiced their strong opposition to a proposal to regulate electronic cigarettes, and demanded a total ban on the products instead.

At a joint press conference, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Medical Association and the medical schools of the Chinese University and the University of Hong Kong said e-cigarettes and other new smoking alternatives could cause substantial harm to people's health.

The government is proposing to tax these new products, the same way it does traditional tobacco goods.

But the head of HKU's Faculty of Medicine, Professor Gabriel Leung, said they should not be sold at all.

"I think the entire medical community feels very, very strongly [about this]. I can't recall the last time that we all stood together behind one issue and we are absolutely adamant that there should be a total ban," Leung said.

Last week, the Doctors Union and the Dental Association also said they were unhappy with the regulation plan.