43
M
acau is poised to ban smoking
from most public places. Only
casinos, massage lounges, saunas
and nightclubs will be exempted.
An outline for a new tobacco control law
was passed by the Legislative Assembly (AL)
in January.
The government-drafted bill, proposed by
former Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah’s
team, is currently being discussed in detail by
a standing committee, where changes can still
be made.
A final discussion and vote by the full As-
sembly is required before it can be enacted.
The process will still take some time, as
the standing committee decided to launch a
month of public consultation, which ended on
February 18.
For the president of the committee, Chan
Chak Mo, it is likely that the Assembly will
take some time to approve the bill, because a
ban on smoking will affect a lot of businesses.
Among the burning issues exercising law-
makers’ minds are: tobacco tax; exemptions for
casinos, massage lounges, saunas and night-
clubs; and enforcement.
A national commitment
The new bill, which has taken more than three
years to prepare, will change the current law on
tobacco which was approved in 1996.
The move comes after Beijing ratified the
World Health Organization (WHO) Frame-
work Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005.
Beijing included Macau and Hong Kong as
being obliged to comply with the framework.
The WHO framework advocates bans on to-
bacco advertising and sponsorship, tax increases
on tobacco, explicit warnings on cigarette packs,
as well as laws on smoking in public places and
help for those who want to quit smoking.
Hong Kong’s health authorities implement-
ed a smoking ban covering all indoor areas of
workplaces, public places, restaurants, and ka-
raoke lounges in January 2007.
In July 2009, smoking inside bars, night-
clubs, clubs, mahjong parlours, massage estab-
lishments and bathhouses also became illegal.
In the mainland, seven cities, including Shen-
zhen, Tianjin and Chongqing, are working to ban
smoking in workplaces and all public places.
Shanghai will also enforce such laws this
month.
Growing health issue
The Health Bureau says smokers make up
about 17 percent of Macau’s population – and
there are some worrying trends.
According to a WHO study, one in ten
13-to-15-years olds in Macau smokes on a reg-
ular basis.
March 2010
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