Comprehensive Smoking Ban in Different Venues in Phases
The biggest change in this "Smoking Control Regulation" is the expansion of the indoor smoking ban from partial to complete, with some outdoor areas also included in the ban. Compared to Hong Kong's smoking ban, Shenzhen's regulations remain relatively lenient, as it has not included bus terminals and transit hubs in the smoking ban area. For Shenzhen's "three-year grace period" for smoking in bars, foot massage parlors, and other entertainment venues, Hong Kong had already entered a comprehensive smoking ban phase back in 2009.
However, the smoking ban process in Hong Kong was not achieved overnight. The legislation regulating smoking came into effect in 1982. Early smoking ban areas included public transport, shopping malls, cinemas, and other public places. In 2006, the Legislative Council passed a bill to significantly expand the smoking ban, implemented in several phases: the first phase in 2007 included a complete ban in all restaurants, workplaces, indoor public places, schools, hospitals, beaches, and sports venues; the second phase took effect in 2009, including bars, nightclubs, and massage parlors in the smoking ban area. By the end of 2010, all bus terminals and transit hubs were prohibited from smoking.
The person in charge of the city's smoke-free environment promotion project admitted that when discussing the feasibility of a comprehensive indoor smoking ban, some experts raised doubts about its viability. The final revised "Smoking Control Regulation" decided to delay implementation in some venues for three years, also referencing Hong Kong's previous approach: "It is not done all at once, but in phases."
Lighting a cigarette in a no-smoking area is also considered a violation
In contrast to Shenzhen's principle of "mainly verbal persuasion," Hong Kong employs a strict approach with fixed penalties to deter violations.
According to the Hong Kong (Public Health) Smoking Ordinance, lighting a cigarette in a no-smoking area, even without smoking it, is considered a violation, and those caught by smoking inspectors can still be fined HKD 1,500. As one of the cities with the most successful anti-smoking experiences globally, Hong Kong issues thousands of violation notices and hundreds of summonses each year.
There are dedicated organizations and personnel regulating smoking control work. According to Xiong Jingfan, an official from the Shenzhen Smoke-Free Environment Promotion Project, this is a significant tool. Hong Kong clearly stipulates that the smoking inspectors from the Department of Health are the specific enforcers of the regulations, and personnel designated by the Police Force, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and Housing Department can also enforce the law in the areas they manage.
"In fact, our current multi-departmental regulatory model is similar to that of Hong Kong, but we are adding a smoking control responsibility under existing departments, while Hong Kong has established a new organization. However, she stated that through the joint meeting system established by the municipal government for smoking control work, it is hoped to change the awkward situation of difficult enforcement of the smoking control regulations to some extent.
