Smoking in Hong Kong

According to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, Hong Kong residents who smoke in indoor areas of restaurants, indoor workplaces, public indoor places, and certain public outdoor areas are liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500. Although it’s still relatively common to see people smoking in these areas, the smoking rate has decreased over time. As the chart shows, with a slight rise in the middle, the percentage of daily smokers gradually declined from 12.4% to 9.1% between 2000 and 2023. At the same time, there was a notable increase in the number of ex-daily smokers, rising from 3.8% to 5.6% over the 23-year period.