Tobacco Control

Legislation Progress

  • 1982

    Implementation of the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap 371)

    Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap 371) passed by the Legislative Council and covered:
    Prohibition of smoking in public places;
    Restriction on sales of tobacco products; and
    Restriction on tobacco promotion and advertising.

    Implementation of the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap 371)
  • 1982

    First implementation of health warnings

    Text health warnings required on all tobacco advertisements.

    First implementation of health warnings
  • 1982

    First survey on smoking pattern

    First survey on smoking pattern
  • 1983

    First designation of no smoking areas

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

    First designation of no smoking areas
  • 1983

    Reinforcement of health warnings

    Bilingual text health warnings required on all cigarette packs.

    Reinforcement of health warnings
  • 1983

    Tobacco tax increased by 300%

    Tobacco tax increased by 300%
  • 1987

    Establishment of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health

    Establishment of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health
  • 1990

    Establishment of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health

    Establishment of Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health
  • 1991

    Tobacco tax increased by 100%

    Tobacco tax increased by 100%
  • 1992

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

    Smoking bans implemented in cinemas, theatres, concert halls, public lifts, amusement game centres and all transport carriers.

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas
  • 1992

    Ban on cigarette advertising broadcasting in cinemas

    Ban on cigarette advertising broadcasting in cinemas
  • 1994

    Reinforcement of health warnings

    Cigarette packs must carry, in rotation, four new, stronger and more precise text health warnings.

    Reinforcement of health warnings
  • 1994

    Regulation of sales of tobacco products

    Prohibition of sale or giving tobacco products to people under age 18.

    Regulation of sales of tobacco products
  • 1998

    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.

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas
  • 1998

    Regulation of sales of tobacco products

    Selling of any tobacco product from a vending machine was prohibited.

    Regulation of sales of tobacco products
  • 1998

    Prohibition of tobacco advertisement on the Internet

    Prohibition of tobacco advertisement on the Internet
  • 1998

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

    Prohibition of promoting the sale of tobacco products by means of offering prizes, gifts, tokens or raffles in exchange for any valuable items
  • 1999

    Stronger restriction on tobacco advertising

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

    Stronger restriction on tobacco advertising
  • 1999

    Restriction of tar yields in cigarettes

    Restriction of sale or possession of cigarettes with tar yields over 17mg.

    Restriction of tar yields in cigarettes
  • 1999

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

    Restaurants with more than 200 seats were required to have not less than 1/3 no smoking area.

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas
  • 2000

    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.

    Reinforcement of health warnings
  • 2001

    Establishment of Tobacco Control Office, Department of Health

    Establishment of Tobacco Control Office, Department of Health
  • 2005

    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

    Application of FCTC
  • 2007

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

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

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas
  • 2007

    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 pictorial health warnings
  • 2009

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

    Complete smoking ban extended to six types of establishment with effect from 1 July 2009 including bars, clubs, nightclubs, bathhouses, massage establishment and mahjong and tin-kau premises. Also, 48 public transport facilities with superstructures were designated as no smoking areas.

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas
  • 2009

    Stronger restriction on tobacco advertising

    Withdrawal of exemption for display of tobacco advertisement at licensed hawker stalls.

    Stronger restriction on tobacco advertising
  • 2009

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

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

    Implementation of Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance (Cap 600)
  • 2009

    Tobacco tax increased by 50%

    Tobacco tax increased by 50%
  • 2010

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas

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

    Expansion of statutory no smoking areas
  • 2010

    Abolishment of duty-free concessions for incoming passengers at border entry.

    Abolishment of duty-free concessions for incoming passengers at border entry.
  • 2011

    Tobacco tax increased by 41.5%

    Tobacco tax increased by 41.5%
  • 2014

    Tobacco tax increased by 11.8%

    Tobacco tax increased by 11.8%
  • 2016

    Expansion of statutory no smoking area

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

    Expansion of statutory no smoking area
  • 2017

    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 will come into full operation from 21 June 2018.

    Enlargement of pictorial health warnings
  • 2018

    Expansion of statutory no smoking area

    Smoking ban extended to three bus interchanges leading to expressways or tunnels.

    Expansion of statutory no smoking area
  • 2021

    Expansion of statutory no smoking area

    Smoking ban extended to cover three additional bus interchanges leading to expressways or tunnels and two more public transport facilities.

    Expansion of statutory no smoking area
  • 2022

    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.

    Prohibition of alternative smoking products
  • 2023

    Tobacco tax increased by 31.5%

    Tobacco tax increased by 31.5%
  • 2024

    Tobacco tax increased by 31.9%

    Tobacco tax increased by 31.9%
  • 2025

    Require cigarettes sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty be proved to be duty-paid

    Require cigarettes sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty be proved to be duty-paid
  • 2025

    Increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco

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

    Increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco
  • 2025

    Prohibition on provision of smoking products to persons aged below 18

    Prohibition on provision of smoking products to persons aged below 18