Thank you, President. I speak in support of the passage of the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2025 (“the Bill”). The Bill aims to implement 8 of the “10 measures for tobacco control” proposed earlier, seeking to reduce smoking rates through a multi-pronged approach. The Bill proposes to expand the no smoking areas, prohibiting smoking in public areas within three metres of entrances and exits of specified premises such as hospitals, childcare centres, and schools. This will further protect children, students, and patients entering and exiting these premises.
Furthermore, addressing situations where smokers smoke while queuing, forcing others to inhale second-hand smoke due to a lack of escape, the Bill prohibits smoking while queuing for public transport or entering designated premises such as hospitals and theme parks. The Government will also increase the fixed penalty for smoking offences to enhance deterrence. These measures will help reduce the impact of second-hand smoke on the public and promote the development of a smoke-free city, a commendable direction.
Some have pointed out that certain convenience stores currently sell cigarettes priced between HK$40 and HK$50, below the duty-paid amount, suggesting these are likely duty-not-paid “cheap whites”. Many have expressed the concern that following the legislative amendments, such activities may intensify and shift towards more covert sales methods, such as transactions via “dim sum sheets”. Illicit cigarettes and “cheap whites” constitute duty-not-paid tobacco products that enter the market through various channels. This not only complicates regulatory oversight and significantly reduces tax revenue, but also undermines the Government’s tobacco control efforts. The sale of illicit cigarettes is illegal and must be prohibited. The amended Ordinance will strengthen the legal framework to rigorously combat illegal tobacco activities. This includes introducing a duty stamp regime for tobacco to facilitate enforcement officers in identifying duty-not-paid cigarettes, alongside increased penalties for related offences. These measures aim to curb illicit tobacco circulation and safeguard government revenue. To prevent illicit tobacco activities from operating in more covert ways after the amendments, the Administration must expedite the formulation of a comprehensive plan to further intensify enforcement efforts and address potential challenges.
Some smokers have expressed a desire for designated smoking areas. While regulating smokers to specific locations may temporarily and marginally reduce the odour of second-hand smoke, it cannot entirely prevent the harmful dispersion of second-hand smoke. Moreover, the siting of designated smoking areas itself poses a significant problem. These areas attract large numbers of smokers, causing adverse effects on nearby residents and the environment. Notably, designated smoking areas risk legitimizing smoking behaviour in the public eye, particularly conveying erroneous values to adolescents and encouraging them to experiment with tobacco. Should smoking habits persist across generations, achieving a smoke-free environment becomes increasingly challenging.
The Bill proposes several targeted measures aimed at effectively reducing smoking rates and safeguarding public health. However, tobacco retailers, newsagents and the bar industry have expressed concerns over the potential negative economic impact of tobacco control policies. The Bills Committee received 1 071 submissions, reflecting both support and opposition, indicating the Bill’s contentious nature. It is hoped that following the amendment of the Ordinance, the Government will conduct a comprehensive review to gain a thorough understanding of the practical difficulties and views of the relevant industries. This will enable an assessment of the policy’s future economic impact, ensuring that while advancing public health objectives, the survival and development space of the business sector is fully considered. The aim is to strike a balance between tobacco control and economic activities.
President, I so submit.