Below I am quoting an opinion article from Hong Kong’s premier English newspaper, The South China Morning Post. I agree with everything this person has written and I think it is quite a good article for Hong Kong people to relate to.
No tags for this post.The recent campaign and threats to withdraw investment by the entertainment and restaurant sectors is tantamount and blackmail. In a society that promotes equal rights, smokers and restaurateurs fail to acknowledge that other people have the right not to be victims of secondhand smoke, and that smoking in an enclosed environment is an infringement of non-smokers rights.
Smokers can still smoke in places other than restaurants and the price they have to pay is merely inconvenience. The price others have to pay for smokers’ enjoyment is their health, or even their life.
The entertainment and restaurant sectors are concerned about their profits and that is why they shy away from defending their “cause” from a moral point of view. While profits are understandably their main concern, in this case the issue is not that simple. Other considerations, such as civic responsibility, are involved.
The moral point of view, rather than expediency, should form the basis for considering any legal issue that affects people’s wellbeing in society. From this perspective, those who oppose a smoking ban have no case to make.
Hong Kong purports to be a progressive city. It should learn from truly progressive international cities that have already made substantial inroads in banning smoking in enclosed public areas such as restaurants.
The government should not shy away from banning smoking in the face of threats and blackmail from profit-focused organizations and self-serving groups of individuals. For once, it should stand firm.
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