Macao's Health Bureau (HB) will launch a month-long consultation period in September on its tobacco law amendment bill, local media reported Monday.

The Macao Post Daily quoted HB sources as saying that the changes will include a steep increase in the tobacco tax, stricter restrictions on tobacco ads, starkly visible health warnings on cigarette packets, and an extension of non-smoking areas.

The HB has opened special mailbox, e-mail address and hotline numbers for the public to submit their views, the sources told the newspaper.

(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2007)