DH continues to step up enforcement operation against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 8) conducted an enforcement operation in San Po Kong to continue its efforts against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements. The Government will continue to strive to lower the demand for smoking products and motivate smokers to quit smoking through a multipronged approach of tobacco control measures in order to effectively reduce the use of tobacco products to safeguard the health of the community.
During the operation today, officers from TACO seized four smoking-product display boxes from two stores in San Po Kong, which were suspected of contravening the provisions of the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) (the Ordinance) related to the prohibition of smoking product advertisements. TACO's investigation is ongoing. In accordance with the Ordinance, no person shall display or cause to be displayed any smoking product advertisement. Any person who contravenes the prohibitions is liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further penalty of $1,500 for each day during which the offence continues.
A spokesman for the DH stressed that TACO has long been closely monitoring the market situation and taking stringent enforcement actions against violations of the Ordinance, and will appropriately adjust its enforcement strategies according to the actual circumstances from time to time. Apart from following up and investigating each complaint, proactive plainclothes enforcement and interdepartmental joint operations have also been strengthened since 2023. The number of smoking-offence prosecutions has significantly increased from about 6 290 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) in 2022 to over 10 260 in 2023, representing an over 60 per cent increase, indicating the effectiveness of the enforcement strategies. To step up efforts in combating illegal waterpipe smoking in no-smoking areas, TACO conducted over 100 operations against illegal waterpipe smoking activities in no-smoking areas in the past 12 months. A total of 145 FPNs were issued against offending smokers, while 74 summonses were issued to staff members and operators of the bars/restaurants for aiding and abetting illegal smoking and other related offences. Moreover, from January 2023 to July 2024, TACO removed over 2 130 webpages, social media accounts or posts with smoking-product advertisements, and issued 124 summonses and 43 warning letters regarding offences of displaying or distributing smoking-product advertisements during the same period.
The spokesman pointed out that in order to effectively reduce the use of all tobacco products, it is necessary to lower the demand and motivate smokers to quit smoking through a multipronged approach of tobacco control measures, among which the most proven and effective measures are to increase the tobacco duty, as well as to combat the publicity and promotion of tobacco products, reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products (such as implementation of plain packaging and banning of flavoured tobacco), and to step up the promotion of smoking cessation. The Government announced in June this year the plan to introduce relevant tobacco control measures in the short term, and continue to explore various tobacco control measures in the medium and long term, thereby eliminating the social hazards posed by tobacco products in all aspects and safeguarding the health of the community with a multipronged approach.
Both the World Health Organization and the World Bank have pointed out that exaggerating illicit cigarette trading activities is the most common tactic used by the tobacco industry to counteract effective tobacco control measures. Raising the tobacco duty and combating illicit cigarette trading activities should be regarded as complementary measures. The 10 short-term measures announced by the Government include the introduction of a duty stamp system in order to differentiate duty-paid cigarettes from duty-not-paid ones. The Government will also amend the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) to require tobacco products being sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty need to be proved duty-paid, and to increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco. These measures will further enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement and combat illicit tobacco more effectively.
TACO will continue to carry out relevant enforcement operations, and follow up and investigate every complaint regarding smoking-product advertisements, as well as refer any suspected cases of illicit cigarettes that involve violations of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) to the relevant department for further investigation.
The spokesman reiterated that all smoking products, regardless of whether they are duty paid or not, pose significant health risks. Smokers should quit smoking as early as possible for their own health and that of others. Information on smoking cessation can also be obtained from www.livetobaccofree.hk.
DH continues to step up enforcement operation against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH continues to step up enforcement operation against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH continues to step up enforcement operation against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH continues to step up enforcement operation against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Remarks by CE at media session before ExCo (with video)
Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (January 21):
Reporter: Just touching on Trump's inauguration, many people, including your own Financial Secretary, have warned of the risks of the second Trump presidency on the economy. So I'm just wondering if you can elaborate on what you expect the impacts to be on Hong Kong and what steps you're taking to insulate the city's economy from any possible actions taken against it. And with regards to the scam compounds in Southeast Asia, do you have a timeline, or when do you expect the remaining victims to be returned to the city? Thank you.
Chief Executive: With the new president in office, this is a good start for China-US relations to be pushed to make greater success and greater progress from this new starting point. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government always strengthens ties and exchanges with different countries, including the US, so we will continue to promote ties and exchanges between the two peoples. Of course, mutual respect, mutual understanding and common will are important. There are a lot of benefits for good relations between China and the US, and also between Hong Kong and the US. We believe in free and open trade, and the US has been enjoying a lot of benefits in the trade relations between Hong Kong and the US. There is a trade surplus amounting to US$270 billion over the past 10 years. There are some 1 400 US companies in Hong Kong, and that is an increase of 9 per cent from the previous year. There are a lot of benefits in promoting good relations between Hong Kong and the US, and Hong Kong has always tried to promote economic co-operation and collaboration. That is why I have been expanding regional co-operation with the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Middle East and also new partners, particularly Belt and Road countries.
I think there are a lot of commonalities and common interests between Hong Kong and the US, and with the new president in office, I hope to see that there will be good efforts to promote positive relations, because co-operation and collaboration will only create overall good for the people of Hong Kong and the people of the US. Hong Kong people and US citizens have always been friends in a lot of areas, and we will continue to work hard in that regard, but of course, we will always prepare for the worst, and we will ensure that the rights of our people and companies will be protected.
As regards the detention of Hong Kong people in some Southeast Asian countries after they have been deceived to go to the region, we have been strengthening efforts on all fronts. Our aim, of course, is to rescue them as soon as possible, so that they can all come back to Hong Kong safely. Thanks to the efforts of the Security Bureau, in the period, 18 Hong Kong citizens have been rescued, and there are still now 10 Hong Kong citizens being detained in Southeast Asian countries. Our efforts focus on four areas. First is full and thorough investigation, together with enforcement. Second, enhanced co-operation with our partners. There are a lot of players in the whole fight against these crimes, including the law enforcement agencies in the relevant countries. There are good networks already; the respective countries have already heightened their attention and escalated the government participation in our whole fight. We will continue to strengthen co-operation in this area, passing intelligence across the players. The third thing we will do is to ensure that we will have the right Outbound Travel Alerts for Hong Kong citizens. We have recently raised the travel alert for (the southeastern regions of) Myanmar to red, and also we have regularly added new information on the Security Bureau's webpage regarding those areas where these crimes are serious and the new modus operandi, in order to heighten citizens' awareness of where the potential risks are. The fourth area is to continue to strengthen publicity and education to alert innocent Hong Kong people to the seriousness of these crimes, and also to ensure that they get updated information. I thank the media and everybody who are involved for this education and publicity campaign to continue. I thank for their efforts and hope they will continue to strengthen efforts in this regard.
Reporter: Are you worried about more Trump sanctions on Hong Kong officials?
Chief Executive: We have finished the session, but I still want to continue with this, because I hope that there will be a good starting point for good relations between Hong Kong and the US to progress. Hong Kong people believe in a lot of principles, and all these principles are on righteousness, justice and doing the best for the overall good of Hong Kong. Any political interference, any inappropriate action against Hong Kong will not work, particularly as we believe what we do is for the overall good of Hong Kong. If there is any attempt to interfere with trials in Hong Kong, or officials or people who are involved in administering justice, it won't work, and we are doing it exactly in the same way in protecting our national security, as other citizens in their own countries. We are right in our action and decisions, and we uphold justice in the whole process. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)