<strong>China: Gov''t Planning to Revise Smoking Control Law</strong>

Source from:  Macau Daily Times  08/08/2013

The government of Macau is planning to revise the laws regulating the prevention and control of smoking in 2015.

Lei Chin Ion, director of the Health Services, speaking at yesterday's Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary meeting, explained: "We are now collecting opinions and our work is progressing well, so we will conduct a first revision of the law in 2015."

The government also confirmed what many expected to already be included in the law: the creation of a sanctions regime addressing casinos and any other spaces that do not meet air quality standards.

Lei Chin Ion said that, following an assessment period, the government will reveal what kind of measures will be applied to casinos that do not meet air quality standards. He said that the administrative regime predicts the reduction or removal of smoking areas for casinos that do not comply with the Health Bureau standards.

Through his interpellation, the lawmaker Kwan Tsui Hang urged the government to further explain why a great part of Macau's casinos fail to meet the necessary air quality required by the Health Services Bureau, following new rules on casino smoking areas introduced in early January.
This month it was revealed that 28 casinos failed the first air quality test conducted by the Health Services Bureau. Those casinos had to undergo a second test and the Bureau is currently analyzing the results and looking to decrease the size of some smoking areas.

"We have been facing many challenges. We are planning a revision to include a sanctioning regime for the casinos that do not comply with the rules," he concluded.

Following the introduction of a partial tobacco ban implemented in casinos in early January, smoking areas cannot exceed 50 percent of the total area dedicated to casino visitors.

However, many lawmakers stated yesterday that casino workers have been complaining about the air quality. Kwan Tsui Hang went further and claimed that, for some casino workers, the quality of the atmosphere has actually worsened rather than improved with the introduction of the new rules.

"Many workers question whether gaming operators are avoiding the busier periods and more crowded areas while the air quality is being measured," she said, adding that "authorities are only conducting random tests."

Another issue raised by lawmakers is related to placing air purifiers around the air-monitoring machine. In their opinion, this might undermine the result of the air quality test.

The lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho said that casino workers "are the victims". "They do not know where or who to complain to," he assured, adding that "we need to be on their side." Moreover, the lawmaker accused the security workers of not fully meeting their obligations: "They have the right to ask clients not to smoke in some of the areas and no-one acts."

Furthermore, the fact that some casinos failed to meet the deadline to present air quality reports to the Health Services Bureau also raised many questions among lawmakers.

Director of the Health Services Bureau Lei Chin Ion guaranteed that the mentioned casinos have already been notified that they must present their reports. "We have also been also asking casinos to improve the presentation of these reports," he added.

Admitting that this is a "new job" for both the Bureau and casinos, he assured that the "supervision here in Macau is much more rigorous than in Las Vegas or Singapore."

Lei Chin Ion also hinted that the "lack of laboratories", conducting air quality tests in Macau, are a constraint. But lawmaker Melinda Chan questioned: "Laboratories face a lot of pressure? Well, why then can we not create more?"

Another lawmaker Ho Ion Sang suggested that Macau could ask for help from laboratories operating in neighboring regions, which Lei Chin Ion guaranteed already happens.

During yesterday's plenary meeting, lawmakers also discussed the increase of drug abuse by youth in Macau, traffic constraints of the Macau Grand Prix, and the antenna dispute between Macau Cable TV and public antenna companies.

Today, the plenary meeting continues with interpellations on how much land the government owns, a matter introduced by lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho. The casino sub-concession contracts will also be discussed, as well as social housing and other issues. Enditem