Press Releases

The Government today (April 15) announced the findings of the latest review of the tar and nicotine yields of 95 best-selling cigarettes in Hong Kong in 1999.

According to the review, the average tar and nicotine yields of these cigarettes were 11.6 milligrams and 0.90 milligrams per cigarette (mg/cig) respectively, representing a decrease of 0.8 mg in tar yield and 0.07 mg in nicotine yield as compared with the previous year's findings.

Of the 95 brands of cigarettes, 36 brands were classified as the low tar group (0-9 mg/cig), 38 brands as the middle tar group (10-14 mg/cig), 21 brands as the high tar group (15-17 mg/cig).

Members of the public may access the web site of the Government Laboratory (http://www.info.gov.hk/govlab) for more details.

New requirements on health warning on tobacco products will come into operation on 16 July 2000. For cigarette products, the new legislation requires the quantitative amount of tar and nicotine yield of the cigarette inside be borne on their packages. The new requirements also stipulate that the health warning shall be printed on the top of the cigarette package and in black colour with white background.

END/Saturday, April 15, 2000

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