Another Hong Kong policy address, another failure to open up on mental health and face real

issues

The Hong Kong chief executive’s policy address fell on World Mental Health Day. That could have
been an opportunity to talk openly about the problems faced by people struggling with their mental
well-being, to show compassion and open the way for people to talk about mental health. Carrie
Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor could have encouraged an improved understanding of mental illnesses that
will affect one in four of us over our lifetimes. The policy address could also have provided a stage to
outline practical policy measures to help alleviate the endemic under-provision in our mental health
services.

Instead of facing up to the challenge, Ms Lam’s sole initiative on mental health was a small-scale
measure to reduce stigma, dressed up as policy. By choosing to stall for time, she has dodged the
real issues that affect people’s lives, and the responsibility of government to provide a framework to
care for people’s mental well-being.

There are not enough psychiatrists for Hong Kong’s population size, waiting times are too long ,
there is inadequate support for schools to help young people and the liaison process between
departments and agencies to deliver services is disjointed.

Ms Lam has accepted the status quo and pushed the hard task of taking real action – developing
practical policy solutions that will make a difference to those in need – down the road for another
year or more. Mental health is clearly not a priority for the chief executive. What does this say to the
people of Hong Kong?

Ann Pearce, The Weez Project

Total ban on e-cigarettes and new tobacco products is the healthy way forward for Hong Kong

I welcome the Hong Kong government’s decision to impose a full ban on e-cigarettes and other new
tobacco products.

Banning e-cigarettes and other vaping devices is definitely a good approach to improve public health
and ease environmental pollution. Smoking has become worryingly common in Hong Kong,
especially among young people. I see a lot of youngsters who couldn’t be older than secondary
students smoking in the street. Strict action should therefore be taken against smoking, no matter
whether it is traditional tobacco or e-cigarettes, as there are a lot of detrimental effects for both
versions.

Research has shown that e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction in young people and lead them
towards, rather than away from, smoking regular cigarettes. Besides, nicotine itself cannot be
considered safe as it can seriously affect adolescent brain development and even cause harm to a
developing foetus, resulting in lower birth weight, preterm birth and an increased risk of sudden
infant death syndrome.

E-cigarettes are often held up as an alternative to smoking and a way to quit the habit, but I would
say that to quit one needs determination and a commitment to better health, not a new way to
indulge in an existing addiction.

Besides, e-cigarettes are not presented as harmless, only “less harmful” than smoking tobacco. The
totally harmless option is to quit all smoking.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s initiative on this is commendable, in that she has gone
a step ahead of the earlier government proposal to regulate these devices like conventional
cigarettes, and wants a full ban on e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products and herbal cigarettes, among
other new tobacco products. Not only will this improve public health but also the reputation of Hong
Kong as a city committed to a healthier future.

Laibah Khan, Kwai Chung