Table 1

Smoke-free places before and after comprehensive smoke-free legislation in 2007

Before the comprehensive smoke-free legislation (before 1 January 2007):
  • Department stores, shopping malls, supermarkets, banks, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, public lifts, amusement game centres, public transport carriers and the airport passenger terminal building.

  • Indoor areas of hospitals, child care centres, schools and universities.

  • Restaurants with seating capacity over 200 people were required to make at least one-third of the seating area smoke-free.

After the comprehensive smoke-free legislation (since 1 January 2007)
  • All indoor workplaces.

  • All public indoor places.

  • All indoor areas in restaurants and karaokes.*

  • Indoor and outdoor areas of hospitals, child care centres, schools and universities.*

  • Bars, mahjong parlours, bathhouses and nightclubs (since 1 July 2009).

  • All common areas (domestic buildings, gardens, pleasure grounds, pedestrian walkways and roads, etc) in public housing estates managed by the Hong Kong Housing Department.

  • All beaches and most public parks (except designated smoking areas) managed by the Hong Kong Leisure and Culture Services Department.

  • * Existing smoking bans were further strengthened after the comprehensive smoke-free legislation.