Watered-down proposals to regulate e-cigarettes in Hong Kong fail to impress either tobacco industry or health experts

Trade argues measures are too harsh on innovative products but anti-smoking body counters that they should not be treated any differently than tobacco

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Locally, vaping products cost between HK$100 and HK$500. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 9:00pm, 15 Jun 2018Updated: 10:50pm, 15 Jun 2018

Watered-down government proposals to regulate electronic cigarettes and other new smoking alternatives have failed to impress either the tobacco industry or health experts, with both sides saying they will lobby lawmakers for changes ahead of a Legislative Council debate next week.

A move to tax these new products in the same way as traditional cigarettes has prompted much discussion, as the government paper did not detail the duty size or how it would be implemented.

In 2015, the Food and Health Bureau suggested a total ban on e-cigarettes, but the latest plan, announced on Tuesday, allows for the sale of such products and regulates them in the same way as traditional tobacco goods.

The sale of e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products and herbal cigarettes to minors would be banned, packaging would require health warnings, and all advertising would be prohibited under the proposals.

The Food and Health Bureau had suggested a total ban on e-cigarettes in 2015. Photo: Nora Tam

The tobacco industry argued that the plans were too harsh on innovative products, but health experts countered that they were too lax on what were harmful goods.