The mid-1970s demarcates the inception of tobacco control in Hong Kong. It was started with emphasis put in public warnings on the addictiveness and the full range of lethal hazards of tobacco use on human health. The first major local tobacco control legislation was enacted and implemented in 1982, which represented the first landmark step in tobacco control. Since then, tobacco use in public places has been gradually restricted under the law, as well as the sales and marketing of tobacco products.

Ten years ago, Tobacco Control Office (TCO) was established under the Department of Health, turning a new page in the history of tobacco control. The mission of TCO is to nurture a smoke-free culture in Hong Kong through intersectoral collaboration and community mobilisation. TCO has embraced a multi-pronged approach of legislation, enforcement, treatment of tobacco dependence, taxation, and publicity and education to reduce the scourge of smoking.

On May 21, 2003, at the 56th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) adopted the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). On the 11th of October 2005, PRC ratified the WHO FCTC. To fulfill the requirements stipulated in WHO FCTC, the tobacco control legislation in Hong Kong has undergone a major amendment in the past years, which stipulates all indoor public places and workplaces to become statutory no smoking areas, restriction on tobacco advertisement and promotion, requirement of packets of tobacco product to bear pictorial health warnings and introduction of a fixed penalty system to prosecute offenders of smoking violations.

Treatment of tobacco dependence is a core tobacco control strategy. Apart from developing various models of smoking cessation programmes, TCO endeavours to disseminate messages to the public to motivate smokers to get rid of nicotine addiction.

With the support and unremitting efforts of the Government and the community, TCO will not stand still but continue to push the boundaries and strive for a smoke-free Hong Kong.

TCO 10th Anniversary Booklet	Page Number	PDF Version
Message from the Director of Health Message from the Head of TCO Stories of Tobacco Control Advisory Bodies Organization Structure Our People Alliances and Partners	1 3 5 9 13 15 17
The Five Core Elements of TCO Legislation and Policy Local Enforcement Tobacco Dependence Management Tobacco Taxation Health Promotion	22 23 39 55 65 69
Evolution of Tobacco Control Legislation and Work in Hong Kong	74
Evaluation	76