‘Stare’ at smokers to deter them from lighting up, Hong Kong official tells public

Last week, Hong Kong officially launched a consultation paper for the proposed new anti-smoking strategies

Representational image: A man smokes a cigarette in Hong Kong (AFP via Getty Images)

Hong Kong’s health chief has urged the public to “stare” at individuals who violate smoking bans in designated non-smoking areas.

Lo Chung-mau came up with the plan to try and discourage smokers from lighting up in areas where smoking is banned, local media reported.

“When the members of the public see people smoking in non-smoking areas, even if no law enforcement officers can show up immediately, we can stare at the smokers,” Dr Lo said at the Hong Kong Legislative Council on Friday.

Dr Lo said Hong Kong needs to foster a culture where “people are willing to comply with the law”, and added that there are plans to enhance law enforcement measures to achieve this goal.

Dr Lo was addressing inquiries about establishing a tobacco-free city and pointed out that the responsibility of catching smokers cannot be placed solely on the police.

Hong Kong is currently in the process of strengthening its anti-tobacco measures.

According to current regulations in place, smoking is prohibited inside restaurants, workplaces, indoor public spaces and certain outdoor public areas.

Hong Kong fines people HK$1,500 (£146.62) for smoking in prohibited places. The city is also contemplating hiking taxes on cigarettes and considering implementing a ban which would prevent individuals born after a certain year from purchasing tobacco products.

“No one will say it requires the law to compel people to queue [for buses at bus stops]. Our society is able to create a culture where people will comply with this rule of queuing when waiting for buses. I hope the whole of society can build a non-smoking culture,” Dr Lo said.

Earlier last week, the Hong Kong government officially launched a consultation paper for the proposed new anti-smoking strategies.

According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year.

“More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke,” it said on its website.