Hong Kong issues 4 tickets from 700 new site inspections under expanded smoking ban
New zones include outside hospitals, clinics and tram stops with possession of e-cigarettes in public to be a criminal offence from April 30
Hong Kong health authorities have issued four fixed penalty tickets in newly designated no smoking areas, including outside hospitals, clinics and tram stops, following more than 700 inspections since the city expanded its tobacco control measures on New Year’s Day.
Ten days into the enforcement of the broadened ban, tobacco control officers carried out more than 1,600 total inspections citywide, with more than 700 in sites newly brought under the prohibition, according to Director of Health Dr Ronald Lam Man-kin.
“The enforcement process has been very smooth without disputes. Looking at the figures, there were only four fixed-penalty tickets,” Lam said on a television programme on Sunday.
“This reflects that, based on public sentiment, residents welcome the expanded no smoking measures and clearly understand how to comply with the law.”
Since the beginning of the year, a total of 162 tickets have been issued citywide for various smoking offences under the new regime, which doubled the fixed penalty to HK$3,000 (US$385).
The tightened laws now ban smoking in public queues of two or more people.
