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Tobacco cheats catch cold with Sars, HONG KONG IMAIL 

The recent Sars outbreak may have helped boost cigarette sales, according to the executive director of the Tobacco Institute of Hong Kong, Peter Tam.

However, he said yesterday an aggressive publicity campaign by the institute and stricter action by customs officials against the contraband trade also played roles in the 3.6 per cent rise in sales for the first half of this year.

``We are, of course, uncertain whether the rise in sales was due to our anti-counterfeit and contraband campaign, action by customs officials or the results of the Sars outbreak or a combination of all three,'' he said.

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