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Elizabeth Cheung

Hong Kong is expected to start banning flavoured smoking products next year at the earliest but will wait to tackle menthol ones, the Post has learned.
A source said on Tuesday the government would submit an amendment bill covering the changes to the legislature towards the end of the month.
Authorities would also propose banning smoking within three metres (9.8 feet) of entrances of specific premises, such as schools and hospitals, the insider said.
The government planned to gradually implement 10 control measures that were first announced in June last year.
“They will be launched … but in phases,” the source said.
One of the initial proposals was to ban the sale of flavoured tobacco, starting with non-menthol options such as fruit flavours.
The source said the ban on the products would start after the launch of a duty-paid labelling system used to identify legal cigarettes from illicit ones.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau earlier said the system would be rolled out on a pilot basis in the middle of the year, before a full launch next year at the earliest.
The source said this meant the ban on non-menthol flavoured tobacco products would start next year or in 2027.
“The duty-paid labelling is meant to combat illicit cigarettes … in the future if non-menthol tobacco products are banned, lawbreakers might get into this market and illegally import fruit-flavoured cigarettes,” the insider said.
“There might be an increase in illicit cigarettes.
“To prevent lawbreakers from doing so, a prudent and more strategic way is getting the duty-paid labelling system in place first to crack down on illicit cigarettes.”
The source said it would just be “a matter of time” before authorities moved to ban menthol-flavoured tobacco in the next phase, depending on the progress of the first phase. But no fixed timeline had been set.
The city has proposed control measures to help bring the smoking rate down to 7.8 per cent this year, from 9.1 per cent in 2023.
The source admitted this would be “challenging” to achieve.
“But challenging does not mean we will give up. We will carry on and do our best,” the insider said.
The source also said the government would propose prohibiting the possession of cartridges for alternative smoking products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, in public places starting from the second quarter next year.
Under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, “public places” are defined as “any place to which for the time being the public is entitled or permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise” or “a common part of any premises notwithstanding that the public is not entitled or permitted to have access to that common part or those premises”.

The ban would be expanded to non-public places depending on the outcome of the first phase, the insider said.
The source added that authorities would not rule out banning the possession of alternative smoking devices in the future.
“The plan has already thoroughly considered the needs of travellers. It is believed the moves would not bring a major negative impact to them,” the insider said.
Hong Kong banned importing and selling of alternative smoking products in 2022.
The source said bans on alternative smoking products implemented by Singapore and Thailand had not hurt tourism, while people from mainland China usually consumed regular “original flavour” tobacco products.
Other proposed moves in the bill would include banning smoking in areas within three metres of entrances and exits of specific premises, such as child care centres, schools and hospitals.
Smoking would also be banned while queuing in specific locations, such as public transport stops, hospitals, stadiums and civic centres.
Joe Lo Kai-lut, convenor of the Long Term Tobacco Policy Concern Group, said that prohibiting flavoured tobacco products could result in more smokers turning to illicit cigarettes.
He said a “large number” were using flavoured tobacco products, without specifying figures.
A ban on possessing alternative smoking cartridges in public places could also cause people to switch back to regular cigarettes.
Instead, the government should focus on improving services to help smokers quit, he said.


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Authorities will also propose banning smoking within three metres of entrances of sites such as schools and hospitals, source says


Authorities will also propose banning smoking within three metres of entrances of sites such as schools and hospitals, source says.


Smoking and vaping

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong aims to ban flavoured smoking items next year, starting with non-menthol

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Authorities will also propose banning smoking within three metres of entrances of sites such as schools and hospitals, source says

Authorities will also propose banning smoking within three metres of entrances of sites such as schools and hospitals, source says