Unintentional or minor contraventions could result in lower fines, it added
While many know smoking can increase the risk of liver disease, liver cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, the HPA cited a WHO document titled More than 100 reasons to quit tobacco and said that smoking causes many eye diseases which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent vision loss. The US Centers for Disease Control and the New York State Department of Health have published data linking smoking to an increased risk of developing serious eye conditions, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and even blindness, the HPA said
For the Vehicle License Tax Act, the amendments would change the fines for those who contravene the terms of temporary licenses, vehicle test drive licenses or who purchased a vehicle and do not obtain a license from the fixed rate of double the tax to a fine of less than double the original tax for the vehicle, the ministry said
The Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act () promulgated in 1997 required warning message to be printed on cigarette packages, but it had a limited effect, so the act was amended in 2007 to ensure that warning images and text cover at least 35 percent of the packaging, starting in 2009
Photo: David Chang, EPA The amendments would change the fines for contravening the act from a fixed rate of 2 percent of the lands sale price to fines of 2 percent or lower of the current land value, they added
