S.H.E Becomes Ambassadors against Smoking

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New Law Banning Smoking Soon to be Launched
S.H.E Becomes Ambassadors against Smoking
[2008.12.02]

The new law for banning smoking will be coming into effect starting January 11, 2009. This will formally pave the way to a [Smoke-Free Taiwan]. Yesterday, S.H.E accepting the invitation from the Tung’s Foundation to be Ambassadors against Smoking, filmed a public service TV announcement against smoking and loudly urged everyone: [Smoke-Free Taiwan, Yes, We Can!]

The new law that will be in effect starting next January is a strict regulation for banning smoking in indoor public areas and workplaces. Yesterday, as Ambassadors Against Smoking, S.H.E participated into the [2009 All Citizens for a Smoke-Free Taiwan] function and filmed a public service TV announcement to promote the new law. Health Minister Ye Jin-chuan made a special visit to the studio to thank S.H.E for taking time out from their busy schedule to film the public service announcement.

Ye Jin-chuan indicated that according to studies by the National Health Ministry, the exposure rate to second-hand smoke at the workplace in 2007 was 34.5%. Although this number seemed to have decreased when compared to the 38.6% in 2005, there was still much room for improvement. In 2007, the exposure rate to second-hand smoke at indoor public areas was 34.9%. In other words, when in the workplace or at indoor public areas, on average, each person is exposed to second-hand smoke one out of every three times.

Selina indicated that because of work, she traveled through airports frequently and often saw a group of people lighting up and puffing away in the smoking lounge. Her first instinct was that the behavior was basically suicidal. Many people started to quit smoking only when they aged and beginning to have health problems. She hoped that the young people of today would take the warning to heart because if they do not start to smoke, then they would not have to experience all that.

Hebe and Ella also said that since childhood, they were trained to be cigarette police. Hebe was responsible for reminding her father not to smoke. She even hid a whole carton of her father’s cigarettes or threw them away. Finally she convinced her father to leave the addiction behind. Ella also often reminded her father and her younger brother about the harmful effects of smoking. Her father was not able to withstand her constant lectures and eventually was successful in kicking the smoking habit. As for her younger brother, he too was in the process of quitting smoking.

Veteran media personality Chao Yi generously donated to the plan for [2009 All Citizen for a Smoke-Free Taiwan] because his brother’s passing from cancer. As an ex-nicotine addict, he indicated that the new ban against smoking was actually a blessing because smokers would no longer be like him who waited until his health was threatened before realizing the importance of quitting smoking. Now smokers would be encourage to quit smoking through regulations and general censure.

The chairman of Tung’s Foundation indicated that globally there are already 69 countries or regions that have a policy for a [smoke-free environment] in place. Through several years of hard work from the Tung’s Foundation and other organizations in pushing for legislative changes, finally led to Taiwan to put into effect the law for a [Indoor Smoke-Free Environment] starting next January, thus, bringing Taiwan in line with international practices.

Lifetime volunteer Sun Yue pointed out that it had been 24 years since he became involved in the [Everyone Has a Right to Refuse Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke] movement back in 1984. Finally he was able to witness Taiwan’s new ban against smoking coming into effect next year. It would be a big step forward for a [Smoke-Free Environment]. He was gratified to see that from the entertainment world, the involvement of the younger generation such as S.H.E who worked tirelessly to promote the harmful effects of smoking. Hopefully each citizen would demonstrate similar spirit and progress towards a [Smoke-Free Taiwan] for the future.