The government has proposed new measures under the Tobacco Control Legislation Amendment Bill that include extending no-smoking areas and implementing harsher penalties for violations.

New smoking-prohibited zones will be introduced for areas within three metres of doorways to schools, hospitals and childcare centres.

Smoking while queuing or staying in designated boarding areas for public transport or entry to places with high pedestrian flows, including theme parks, museums or clinics, will also be banned.

The ban mainly applies when there are two or more people in the queue, including the smoker.

However, officials clarified that smoking at bus stops with clear markings on the ground, fences or structural indicators is strictly prohibited, even if the smoker is alone in the queue.

To deter offending, the fixed penalty for lighting up in no-smoking areas will be doubled to HK$3,000.

The sale of alternative smoking products, such as electronic and heated cigarettes, to underaged persons will also be banned, with penalties of up to HK$50,000 fine and six months' imprisonment.

These changes are set to take effect from January 1.

The administration also unveiled plans to make it mandatory for specified tobacco products to have a validated duty stamp on retail packaging to prove payments have been made.

The sale of tobacco products that come without such stamps or with counterfeit stamps will be criminalised and offenders could face up to a HK$2 million fine and seven years' imprisonment.

While there’s no official start date for full implementation, a pilot scheme is set to be launched in the third quarter of this year.

There will also be stricter penalties against duty evasion that come into immediate effect once the bill is passed.

The administration also outlined plans to ban the sale of tobacco products containing additives such as menthol, vitamins or caffeine.

The first phase of the ban is to be in place from the second quarter of 2027.
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Last updated: 2025-04-25 HKT 14:23