On Thursday's Backchat, we're talking about proposals for a total ban on tobacco by 2030.

Making the suggestions in response to a public consultation ending this month, HKU researchers called on authorities to raise tobacco taxes to 75 percent of retail prices by next year before an outright ban in seven years’ time.


Citing support from 70% of the 12,000 respondents surveyed between 2019 to 2021, the researchers described Hong Kong as being in the "best position" for such measures while highlighting a need to further incentivise smokers to quit.


But despite attitudes towards smoking being rather unfavourable, smokers' groups have raised concern over what they say could potentially deprive them of their individual choice to smoke.


What do you make of these proposals? Long overdue? Or too harsh?


After 9:45, we discuss with the actor of Gweilo, a bilingual solo adaptation of novelist Martin Booth's autobiography, depicting the life of an expat boy in 1950s Hong Kong.

9:05am-9:45am: Proposals to ban smoking by 2030


9:05am-9:30am: Dr. David Lam, Lawmaker, Medical and Health Services
9:05am-9:30am: Dr. Daniel Ho, Associate Professor, Division of Community Medicine and Public Health Practice
9:30am-9:45am: David Sweanor, Adjunct Professor of Law and Chair of the Advisory Committee, Law, Policy and Ethics, University of Ottawa


9:45am-10:00am: Discussion with Micah Sandt, actor of "Gweilo"

9:45am-10:00am: Micah Sandt, Actor and Composer performing "Gweilo"