Hong Kong’s Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office will equip inspectors with body cameras starting today (August 20) as they enforce the city’s smoking ban. The move comes after fixed penalty notices for smoking offences rose nearly 31% last year, with 13,488 citations. New enforcement measures, including plain-clothes officers and extended surveillance, have been credited with the increase in penalties.
The Department of Health said cameras will document enforcement activities and conflicts, with individuals notified before recording. Footage without evidential value will be deleted after 31 days.
Lawmakers are also reviewing broader anti-smoking proposals, including expanded non-smoking zones near entrances to schools, hospitals, and elderly homes, a ban on public use of alternative smoking products from April 2026, and restrictions on flavored tobacco sales from mid-2027.
