Hong Kong List of smoking bans

hong kong has seen public smoking restricted 1 january 2007 under government s revised smoking (public health) ordinance (cap. 371), first enacted in 1982 several amendments subsequently. latest amendment enlarges smoke-free regulations include indoor workplaces, public places including restaurants, internet cafés, public lavatories, beaches , public parks. bars, karaoke parlors, saunas , nightclubs exempt until 1 july 2009. smoke-free regulations pertaining lifts, public transport, cinemas, concert halls, airport terminals , escalators had been phased in between 1982 , 1997. smoke-free requirements in shopping centres, department stores, supermarkets, banks, game arcades have been in place since july 1998.

an anomaly exists on cross-border trains between hong kong , mainland china operated jointly between mtr corporation , china railways, of whom latter allows smoking in restaurant car , in vestibules @ end of cars, not in seating area.

any person smokes or carries lighted tobacco product in statutory no smoking area commits offence , liable on summary conviction maximum fine of hk$5,000. unlike many other jurisdictions, hong kong not place onus on licensees of liquor licensed premises enforce smoke-free regulations bans subsequent loss of licence non compliance. 2009 law provides fixed-penalty arrangement (hk$1,500) smoking, on par littering. @ same time smoking prohibited in designated public transport interchanges, government has yet clarify how enforce against non hong kong id card-holders , tourists, since offender has 21 days after ticket issue pay up.

the overall daily smoking rate in hong kong 11.8% (hk department of census , statistics household thematic survey 36) 25% of males smoking whereas in china 63% of males smoke.