Tobacco Control Legislation

The Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025

The Government gazetted the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 on 19 September 2025 to implement the new phase of tobacco control measures.

Tobacco control measures Effective date Useful materials
Increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco 19 September 2025
List the relevant offences under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance to enable the Customs and Excise Department to freeze assets associated with illicit tobacco activities
Increase the penalty for offences of failing to declare to Customs Officers compoundable under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance from $2,000 to $5,000
Require that cigarettes sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty be proved to be duty-paid
Prohibit the provision of smoking products (including conventional smoking products and alternative smoking products (ASPs)) to persons aged below 18 Poster
Implement a duty stamp system for cigarettes
  • A pilot scheme rolled out on 6 October 2025
  • First phase to be launched in fourth quarter of 2026
  • Target for full implementation in Q2 2027
Prohibit smoking while queuing 1 January 2026 Poster
Leaflet
Guidelines
Signage
Extend statutory no-smoking areas to within three metres of the entrances and exits of specified places Poster
Leaflet
Guidelines
Signage
Increase the fixed penalty for smoking offences from $1,500 to $3,000 Signage
Ban the possession of ASP substances (i.e. e-liquid/capsules/heat sticks) in public places 30 April 2026
Implement plain packaging requirement This requirement is planned to take effect in tandem with the duty stamp system in second quarter of 2027
Ban flavoured conventional smoking products After full implementation of the duty stamp system and plain packaging requirement (i.e. after second quarter of 2027)

Note: The other two short-term measures, namely “continuously reviewing the effectiveness of increasing tobacco duty and the pace of future adjustments” and “strengthening smoking cessation services as well as publicity and education”, are ongoing and do not involve legislative amendments.

Frequently Asked Questions:
https://www.taco.gov.hk/t/english/legislation/legislation_faq.html

Details of the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025:
https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr2025/english/ord/2025ord039-e.pdf