Hong Kong authorities are considering the use of surveillance cameras to enforce stringent new tobacco-control measures passed by the Legislative Council, a move aimed at further reducing the city’s smoking rate, a top health official said Saturday.
Henry Tong, head of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, told reporters that technologies like CCTV could play a key role in ensuring compliance with the new laws, which were approved Thursday. The amended legislation bans the sale of flavored cigarettes and the possession of alternative smoking products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. It also expands statutory no-smoking zones to include additional public spaces.
“We think that some surveillance devices like CCTV … will also help implement the new law,” Tong said. However, he emphasized the need for public education to address privacy concerns. “We would also need to educate and inform the public, so that they will feel that it is for law enforcement and does not violate their privacy.”
The new measures are expected to drive down Hong Kong’s smoking rate, though Tong cautioned it was difficult to predict the exact impact. “Every 0.1 percent of a drop in smoking prevalence means about 6,000 smokers quit smoking, which is very good for their health, for their families’ health, and also good for the public health system in Hong Kong,” he said.
Tong also called for an additional ban on smoking while walking, a measure he believes would further bolster public health efforts.
While the new laws mark a significant step toward curbing tobacco use, Tong acknowledged potential challenges in enforcement. The use of surveillance technology, he said, could bridge that gap, but its implementation must be carefully managed to balance enforcement with public trust.
Hong Kong has been a regional leader in tobacco control, with smoking rates steadily declining in recent years. The council hopes the new measures will accelerate this trend, with noticeable reductions expected by this year or next.
