Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has passed a comprehensive new tobacco control bill with an overwhelming majority vote (74 to one, with seven abstentions). The Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2025 introduces a series of stringent measures aimed at further reducing the city’s smoking rate, which stood at 9.1% in 2023.
Key provisions of the new law include a phased-in ban on flavored cigarettes. The sale of non-menthol flavored cigarettes will be prohibited starting in the second quarter of 2027, with a ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes to follow at a later date. This measure is intended to reduce the appeal of smoking, particularly to young people, as data suggests 70% of young first-time smokers use flavored cigarettes.
Starting next year, smoking while queuing in public will be banned, and designated no-smoking areas, such as those outside hospitals, will be expanded. Violators will face a fine of HK$3,000. In a significant move against alternative products, the possession and use of e-cigarette cartridges in public will be banned from April 30th of next year, building on the existing 2022 ban on the import, manufacture, and sale of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Other measures include increased penalties for tobacco smuggling and the introduction of a duty stamp regime for imported cigarettes.
While most lawmakers supported the bill, some from the pro-business Liberal Party voiced concerns that a blanket ban on flavored cigarettes could push smokers towards the illicit market. However, their proposed amendments were rejected. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau defended the bill as a pivotal initiative to protect the next generation.
