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Lo Hoi-ying

Hong Kong’s addiction clinics have recorded a 25 per cent rise in smokers seeking help to quit the habit since authorities raised the tobacco tax two years ago.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau revealed the latest figures on Sunday, praising the government’s tax measures for curbing the harmful practice.
“We can see that since the tobacco tax rates increased two years ago, it has been effective in reducing smoking rates,” he told a radio show.
“The two consecutive years of increases, plus our new measures, will help those hooked to break free from nicotine’s clutches.”
The government rolled out its first round of tobacco tax rises in 2022. A further increase was announced in February this year, with Lo saying at the time that the number of smokers seeking help at the facilities had “significantly increased” by 70 per cent, to about 700 to 800 people every month in March and April.
He told the radio programme that the overall number last year had jumped by a quarter compared with 2022.
Earlier this week, the government announced it planned to pass 10 short-term measures before the end of next year to further decrease the city’s smoking rate, including a ban on flavoured cigarettes and the possession of alternative tobacco products.
The measures aim to lower the city’s smoking rate to 7.8 per cent in 2025, from the 9.1 per cent recorded last year.
In his budget speech last year, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po announced a 31.5 per cent increase in tobacco duty, or an extra 60 HK cents per cigarette.
Chan at the time unveiled a rise of about 32 per cent this year, or an additional 80 HK cents per cigarette, taking the price of a pack to more than HK$90.
Lo on Sunday also rejected retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu Ka-fai’s earlier claim that a ban on flavoured cigarettes might reduce the city’s attractiveness to tourists and business travellers.
The minister said only one in 10 people in the city smoked, which was similar to the rest of the world.
“Many non-smokers prefer a smoke-free environment in Hong Kong,” he said.
“No one likes a heavily polluted place. Although some people say, ‘If you don’t let me smoke here, I’ll go to another city’, others could see it differently.
“They would say, ‘Every time there’s a conference, people around are smoking. Restaurants and outdoor areas are filled with smokers. The ground is littered with cigarette butts. I don’t want to go there.’”


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After reviewing the effectiveness of the short-term measures, authorities expected midterm strategies would be introduced after 2026 such as banning smoking while walking.
Lo said the government was still studying how to implement such measures, which were more difficult to define and prosecute.
“Walking while smoking is dynamic, so what happens if they stop walking suddenly? How do you classify that?” he said.
But smoking while queuing in an outdoor public place, a practice to be targeted by bans in the short-term, was easier to define and the impact on others was more straightforward.
“When someone smokes while in line, those around them have no choice but to inhale the second-hand smoke,” he said.
“So if you want to be in line, don’t smoke. If you want to smoke, don’t join the queue.”

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Hong Kong clinics log 25% rise in smokers seeking help to quit since 2022 tax hike

The government has said it plans to pass 10 short-term measures before the end of next year to further decrease the city’s smoking rate. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong aims to ban flavoured cigarettes but will it cut smoking rates?

A smoker in Tsim Sha Tsui. The government has announced a range of measures to cut down on the number of tobacco users in the city. Photo: Jelly Tse

A street stall in Central displaying a variety of cigarettes for sale. Retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu argued banning flavoured cigarettes could reduce Hong Kong’s attractiveness to tourists and business travellers. Photo: Jelly Tse

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Official statistics showed the latest smoking rate of people aged 15 or above was 9.1 per cent in 2023. Photo: Jelly Tse

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During a three-month consultation last year, more than 90 per cent of the public expressed support for lowering the smoking rate. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau praises increased tobacco duty for helping to drive smokers towards ceasing their habit


Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau praises increased tobacco duty for helping to drive smokers towards ceasing their habit.


Smoking and vaping

Hong Kong society