Tobacco Control

First designation of no smoking areas

Smoking bans implemented in public lifts and lower deck of public transport land vehicles.

Establishment of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health

Regulation of sales of tobacco products

Prohibition of sale or giving for the purposes of promotion or advertisement tobacco products to people under age 18.

Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

All indoor areas open to the public in a supermarket, bank, department store or shopping mall were designated as no smoking areas. The Airport Authority may designate any area of the passenger terminal complex of the Airport as no smoking area. All restaurants, schools, post-secondary colleges, industrial training centres could designate any area of the premieres as no smoking area.

Prohibition of promoting the sale of tobacco products by means of offering prizes, gifts, tokens or raffles in exchange for any valuable items

Stronger restriction on tobacco advertising

Ban on tobacco display advertisements and all tobacco advertisements in the print media.

Reinforcement of health warnings

Cigarette packs must carry, in rotation, six new text health warnings at the top of the pack with indication of tar and nicotine yields.

Establishment of Tobacco Control Office, Department of Health

Application of FCTC

China ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). FCTC came into effect in China and its application extended to Hong Kong

Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

Smoking ban was implemented at indoor areas of all restaurant premises, indoor workplaces and many public places.

Implementation of pictorial health warnings

Packets of tobacco products and retail containers shall bear six pictorial health warnings by rotation, tar and nicotine yields in the prescribed form and manner. The pictorial health warnings shall be of a size that covers at least 50% of the surface area of the packet or retail container.

Implementation of Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance (Cap 600)

Any public smokes in statutory no smoking area will be fined HK$1,500.

Tobacco tax increased by 50%

Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

Smoking ban extended to 129 open-air public transport facilities and two public transport facilities with superstructures.

Tobacco tax increased by 41.5%

Expansion of statutory no smoking area

Smoking ban extended to eight bus interchange at tunnel portal areas.

Enlargement of pictorial health warnings

The amendment was passed by the Legislative Council to enlarge the size of pictorial health warnings from 50% to 85% of the cigarette pack area, increase the number of forms of health warning from six to twelve and add the quitline. The measure came into full operation on 21 June 2018.

Prohibition of alternative smoking products

The import, promotion, manufacture, sale and possession for commercial purposes of alternative smoking products including electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes were prohibited.

Increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco

Raised the maximum penalty for dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes to a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for 7 years.

Prohibition on provision of smoking products to persons aged below 18

Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

Smoking was prohibited while queuing, including queuing to board a public transport carrier at a designated boarding location and queuing to enter specified premises. Public places that lie within three metres outside the entrances/exits exclusively used for child care centres, residential care homes, schools, hospitals and specified clinics or health centres were designated as statutory no smoking areas. Empowerment of the Secretary for Health to designate a large area as statutory no-smoking area.

An increase of the fixed penalty for smoking offences to $3,000