From April 30, 2022, alternative smoking goods, including as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and herbal cigarettes, will be prohibited from entering Hong Kong, promoting them, manufacturing them, selling them, or holding them for the purpose of commercial trade.
These items are not permitted to be brought into Hong Kong by any incoming passengers under any circumstances.
The Prohibitions are as follows:
Import
No one is permitted to import an alternate smoking product into the country by packages, cargoes, or by bringing it in by means of arriving travelers.
Objects that are transported through Hong Kong International Airport by individuals in transit without passing through immigration control, air transshipment cargo, and items that remain aboard an aircraft or ship while in transit are all free from the need to be declared.
Manufacture
Alternative smoking goods may not be manufactured by anybody.
Giving and Promotion are two important aspects of business.
It is unlawful for anybody to provide another individual an alternative smoking product with the hopes of promoting or advertising it.
Persons are prohibited from providing an alternative smoking product to another individual in return for a token or as a reward in any event or competition.
Nobody may give another person an item that is meant to be shown in public and contains a prohibited substance.
The name or trademark of a person connected with the promotion of alternative smoking goods; (2) a trade name linked with alternative smoking products; or (3)
(2) A trade mark or brand name for an alternative smoking product, or a graphical device or any portion of the device that is frequently connected with the trade mark or brand name, or any combination of the above.
Sale
It is unlawful for anybody to sell an alternative smoking product, or to sell any product that contains an alternative smoking product, as a present to another person.
Alternative smoking products are being promoted in the media.
The prohibition on tobacco ads extends to advertisements for alternative smoking products, which are subject to the same restrictions.
Possession
It is unlawful for anyone to possess alternative smoking products for commercial purposes, including the manufacturing, sale, or provision of alternative smoking products to others for the reasons mentioned in the Ordinance.
Use is prohibited in statutory no-smoking areas.
In a statutory no-smoking location, it is unlawful for anybody to smoke or carry an activated alternative smoking product (NSA).
For failing to comply, a maximum punishment of six months imprisonment and a fine of fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars may be imposed on the offender.
Penalty
It is unlawful for anybody to engage in any of the following activities in regard to an alternative smoking product:
Acts
Importation, manufacturing, sale, commercial possession, or distribution to a third party for the purpose of promotion
Penalty
Summary conviction carries a HK $50,000 fine as well as six months in jail in Hong Kong.
Acts
An advertisement is shown on television.
Penalty
The punishment for summary conviction is a fine of HK $50,000 and, in the event of a continuing crime, an additional fine of HK 1,500 per day for each day that the offence continues.
Acts
Application for the National Security Agency
Penalty
Fine of HK $1,500 for a fixed penalty, or HK $5,000 for a summary conviction
Turkiye has previously imposed a ban on the use of e-cigarettes as well.