Conventional smoking products in Hong Kong will have to start adopting uniform packaging methods from March as part of a nine-month transition period, the government announced on Thursday.

With the switchover, the physical features, colours and brand logos of tobacco products face restrictions to ensure that the packaging has no brand elements and design to enhance its appeal.

In addition, 12 health warnings – both in the form of pictures and text that have been in use since 2018 – will be updated so as to maintain their deterrent effect against smoking for being the cause of such disabilities as blindness or chronic diseases as cancers.

An existing requirement for manufacturers to display tar and nicotine levels will also be scrapped to avoid creating the false impression that products with low levels of the two components are less harmful.

A duty stamp system will also be implemented simultaneously, meaning that all products on which levies have been paid have to come with both physical and digital anti-counterfeiting stamps.

Those who violate the uniform packaging requirement could be fined up to HK$50,000.

Manny Lam, head of the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, said nearly 30 countries and regions have already adopted plain packaging.

"There are lots of overseas experience and studies showing that after introducing these new measures, the smoking prevalence, the overall attractiveness [of] smoking products and also the youth initiation [into] smoking demonstrated a significant decrease," he said.

"We believe that after introducing these measures in Hong Kong, we will also benefit from these measures and have a similar effect."

Lam is also confident that the new look would not give rise to trade in illicit cigarettes as their buyers would stand out due to the stark difference in packaging.

The transition period offers sufficient time for the industry to adapt to the requirement ahead of its full implementation in December next year, he stressed.

Henry Tong, chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, said the statutory body fully supports the government's implementation of uniform packaging as soon as possible to prevent children and teenagers from smoking.

"Parents or school principals [have told] us that when the young people see the colourful display of the cigarette packs and also some kind of promotional wording... they were attracted [in learning about] smoking cigarettes, which is very dangerous."

The legislation governing cigarette packaging will be gazetted on Friday.




Edited by Tony Sabine