TACO Targets Illegal Cigar Smoking with Surprise Inspections in Kwun Tong, Issues Three Penalty Notices.

DH clamps down on illegal cigar smoking in no-smoking areas

The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) carried out surprise inspections in Kwun Tong today (May 30) and issued a total of threefixed penalty notices (FPNs) in an effort to clamp down on illegal cigar smoking in no-smoking areas.

During the operation codenamed "Smokeshield", officers from TACO (including plainclothes officers) carried out inspections and enforcement action at one cigar retail shop in Kwun Tong, and issued a total of three FPNs to persons smoking cigars illegally at the premises. TACO's investigation is ongoing, and prosecution may also be taken against operators of the cigar retail shop who are suspected of aiding and abetting smoking offences.

Under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Ordinance), smoking in a statutory no-smoking area (including indoor areas of shops) is prohibited. Any person who smokes in a statutory no-smoking areas is liable to a fixed penalty of $3,000. Venue managers of statutory no-smoking areas are empowered by the Ordinance to request a smoking offender to cease the act. If the offender is not co-operative, the manager of the no-smoking area may contact the Police for assistance.

Moreover, where smoking products (including cigars) are sold, whether in cigar retail shops or otherwise, the restrictions on the promotion and sale of smoking products stipulated in the Ordinance apply. Offenders are liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000.

In addition, under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, any person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission by another person of any offence shall be guilty of the same offence.

"From January 2025 to date, the DH has conducted over 42 inspections of cigar shops regarding illegal smoking activities, and issued a total of eight FPNs for illegal smoking in these premises. The DH will continue to closely monitor and rigorously enforce the law against smoking in no-smoking areas, as well as the illegal sale and promotion of smoking products," said the Head of TACO, Dr Manny Lam.

He cautioned that cigar smoking is just as harmful to health as other smoking products, and urged smokers to quit as early as possible for their own health and that of their family and friends. In support of the World Health Organization's World No Tobacco Day on May 31 each year, the DH is launching the 'Quit in June' campaign. Free one-week smoking cessation drug trial packs are being distributed at over 300 community pharmacies, smoking cessation clinics, District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses and DH clinics, while free Chinese medicine ear points patches are available at over 200 designated Chinese medicine clinics to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms. The DH has collaborated with the School of Nursing of the University of Hong Kong to launch a pilot AI-assisted smoking cessation counselling service - "Chat to Quit" this year. The AI provides accurate and appropriate smoking cessation information instantly, and offers personalised smoking cessation counselling according to users' smoking history and quitting preferences. It can also provide emotional support.

The DH also operates an integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline (1833 183) to answer enquiries about smoking cessation, and provide professional counselling and referral services. Members of the public can visit the smoking cessation thematic website (www.livetobaccofree.hk) for more information on smoking cessation and related support tools and services. They can also download the "Quit Smoking App" to keep track of their quitting progress and obtain tips on fighting cravings to maintain a tobacco-free life.

Source: AI-found images

DH clamps down on illegal cigar smoking in no-smoking areas Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DH clamps down on illegal cigar smoking in no-smoking areas Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-found images

HKSAR Government welcomes State Council's approval of exemption of requirement for guarantee and implementation of temporarily ship nationality registration policies for Hong Kong and Macao Yachts temporarily entering and exiting Chinese Mainland

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (May 30) welcomes the State Council's announcement of its approval of exemption of the requirement of a guarantee and implementation of temporary ship nationality registration for Hong Kong and Macao yachts when temporarily entering and exiting the Chinese Mainland through designated ports in the nine cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the GBA), and only navigating within these cities.

A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said, "Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have been committed to promoting individual yacht travel. To this end, the Marine Department, the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, and the Macao Marine and Water Bureau have established the tripartite Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao individual yacht travel working group, which has been actively discussing facilitation measures to advance the development of the individual yacht travel system. Under the new policy, the exemption for the requirement for a guarantee will significantly reduce the financial burden on owners of Hong Kong and Macao yacht when handling cross-border procedures. Meanwhile, the temporarily ship nationality registration allows Hong Kong and Macao yachts to obtain temporarily ship nationality certificates issued by Chinese Mainland without affecting their original ship registration, enabling individual yacht travel within the waters of the nine Chinese Mainland cities in the GBA."

Meanwhile, the Marine Department is actively co-ordinating with the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration on facilitation measures for the southbound travel for yachts from the Chinese Mainland. Details will be announced in due course once finalised.

The spokesman added that the Marine Department will continue to maintain close communication with the relevant authorities of Guangdong Province and the Macao Maritime and Water Bureau, and continuously review and refine the facilitation measures for the northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong and southbound travel for yachts from the Chinese Mainland to foster a healthy, sustainable and competitive environment for the development of the local yacht economy.

Source: AI-found images