In order to further reduce smoking rates and protect public health, the Hong Kong SAR Government published the "2025 Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill" ("Bill") in the Gazette yesterday (25th), and will submit it to the Legislative Council for first reading and second reading on Wednesday, April 30.
The Bill proposes a number of tobacco control measures, and travelers coming to Hong Kong must pay attention!
The fine will be increased to HK$5,000
The Bill proposes that from January next year, if anyone brings more than 19 duty-free cigarettes into the country, the fixed fine will be increased from HK$2,000 to HK$5,000. At the same time, add tax-paid cigarette identification labels, increase penalties for smuggling and smuggling, expand smoking ban areas, and prohibit the possession of alternative smoking products.
The Bill lists that starting from January next year, it is prohibited to smoke in the designated scope of waiting for public transportation and waiting for entry into cinemas, hospitals, public amusement venues, stadiums and other places. The word "waiting" is pointed out, which represents the situation where two or more people are waiting in line. The fine for violators doubled from HK$1,500 to HK$3,000.
The Bill proposes that the entrance and exit of children's centers, hospitals, health clinics or health centers and hospitals be marked as a prohibited smoking area.
How to determine whether a person can smoke when waiting for the train?
The Medical and Health Bureau responded
Citizens have questions about how to define the "scope of waiting public transportation". The Chief Assistant Secretary-General of the Medical and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government explained that only when there is a sign or a waiting area is formed, the conditions for one person to wait for the bus and cannot smoke.
The bus sign on the left of the picture does not count as a designated sign, and there are no ground marks, so smoking is not an illegal example.
Citizens also have questions about "why are there any ground signs affecting smoking permits." The Chief Assistant Secretary-General said that citizens in areas with ground signs need to wait and stay here. Smoking in this place will affect others and make people smoke second-hand smoke. Where there is no sign, it is difficult to determine whether it will affect others.
Regarding the controversy about "whether one person can smoke when waiting for the bus", he emphasized that if a certain area is not listed as a non-smoking area and only one person is waiting on the scene, smoking is allowed in principle. However, once other citizens join the waiting queue, smokers need to stop immediately to avoid affecting others.
