hello smoking 2007

on the verge of 2007, i was sitting inside a restaurant monitoring how the smoking ban was executed. At 10pm,I arrived from work to find no ashtray was left on dining table. Ashtraies were only available on demand by customers.
Below was my contribution published on the 1 Jan 2007:
At Tsui Wah Restaurant in Wellington Street, Central, ashtrays were put away two hours before New Year's Eve and no-smoking signs were displayed throughout the restaurant.
The ashtrays were available only on demand and customers had to stop smoking by early today.
"Customers who are drunk or refuse to cooperate in observing the ban will be asked to leave. We'll have people dealing with it, don't worry," a waiter said.
(for the full version,pls click here)
I instructed a provokative friend to lit up at 11:58pm 31/12/2006 and instructed her to smoke across the year. The smoking was done till 12:03am 1/1/2007 and we weren't told to put out the ciggie before that.
Shortly after that, people from Lan Kwai Fong started to rush in the restaurant after counting down. I was suprised to see Hong Kong people are so obedient. No one lights up inside the restaurant and I could see people smoking outside already.
Why are Hong Kong people so obedient? Could this ever happen to Australia or other western countries?As a reporter, I was expecting to see some vigour actions when the smoke ban was implemented. But nada, no drama no one stood up to fight for their smoking rights whatsoever.
reporting became boring because of it.
I was so temped to create trouble just to test out the law but I have to remain objective. So i only sat there and observe.

Two weeks before that, I was invited to a press briefing by the Department of Health. I raised a sincere question that put the government official in a moment of blurness:
Q:Considering tabacconists' new tactics including launching new brands with simple design sold at a cheaper price luring young people to smoke, has the government considered subsidizing smoking cessation products like nicotine patches and chewing gum(note:they're about the same price of cigarettes) to raise the incentive of citizens to quit smoking?
(5 seconds later)
A:the government belives the new law will effectively reduce the number of smokers with the help of public campaigns and smoking cessation hotline 1833-183.

Q:You didn't answer my question.

A: No, the government is not going to consider this(subsidizing cigarettes patches and chewing gum).

Q:Thank you.

Anyhow, here comes 2007 and may be it's time to think about qutting. but if smoking cessation products are made cheaper, I will seriously think about quitting cigarettes. For the time being, the government can just call my own hotline: 1833-mind-your-own-fxxxing-business.
Hello, 2007!