In mid-April of 1995, all local restaurants will be required to display a sign telling customers whether they have non-smoking sections in their place of business.
According to Mr. Sam Ho, executive officer of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, the aim of this regulation is to encourage restaurants to introduce self-imposed non-smoking areas.
The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health cooperates with some restaurant associations in distributing stickers which labelled "non-smoking seats available" or "no non-smoking seats" to the restaurants free of charge.
However, Mr. Lam Kai, executive manager of Rivera Hin Seafood Restaurant in Sha Tin, was dissatisfied with the regulation.
"Our restaurant will not set up non-smoking seats because it is too difficult to distinguish non-smoking customers from those who smoke," he said.
Yet, Banthai Thai Cuisine's secretary Castin Leung accepted the idea.
"I think the biggest advantage of setting up non-smoking areas is to keep air much fresher for everyone."
In fact, some chain restaurants have already introduced non-smoking sections, like Mario and the Spaghetti House.
Some of them even have a non-smoking policy. McDonald's, since 1991, and Pizza Hut, since 1993, are two pioneers in this regard.
Spaghetti House Sha Tin Branch Manager Robert Yau said, "We set up non-smoking areas as requested by many of our customers."
'It is all for our customers' benefit.'
He also said that the introduction of the policy did not impose great effect on the business performance of their restaurants.
Pizza Hut Marketing Executive Matthias Krampe said the implentation was "all for our customers' benefit."
"Also, launching a non-smoking policy provides our staff with healthier and pleasanter working environment."
Despite all of the advantages, they agreed that there are difficulties in the implemention.
"In fact, it is difficult to promote a non-smoking policy. We have to prepare a large amount of non-smoking signs. It costs us a considerable sum of money," he said.
Rivera Hin Seafood Restaurant Senior Captain Lau Sau Lan said, "It is very difficult for Chinese restaurants to introduce non-smoking seats.
"For example, how can we differentiate customers into smoking and non-smoking groups when someone tells you that he or she would like to reserve a table for 12, especially in case of a wedding feast?" she asked.
A customer relations officer of Mario said, "This is specially difficult in high class Western restaurants, when most of their customers are well-educated and they will understand the policy in general.
"I don't think fast food chain shops are suitable places to introduce this policy, as customers only spend about half an hour there."
Fifteen-year-old Secondary 4 student Lau Ka Ki put it like this: "The regulation is meaningless.
"The smoking and non-smoking sections in some fast food chains are arranged adjacent to one another. I usually encounter heavy smokers when I am having a meal. Their used smoke usually irritates me," she said.
"Facing this situation, I simply eat faster and go as early as possible," she said.
Mr. Lui Siu Ming, 35, a senior electronics engineer from Sheung Shui, said, "Although I doubt the effectiveness of the policy, I do appreciate its intention.
"I suggest that restaurants should use moveable notice signs. Therefore, it would be more flexible in arranging seats to fulfil the changing demands of customers," he said.
Research has shown conclusively that "secondary smoke", or the smoke inhaled by non-smokers in the presence of smokers, is significantly related to the incidence of cancer.