Departments urged to work together on smoking offences

DAB lawmaker Chan Hok-fung on Wednesday called on the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) to work closer with other government departments to better enforce smoking regulations. New tobacco control measures took effect at the start of the year, including a doubling of the fixed penalty for smoking offences and expanding no-smoking areas. Staff from the office have carried out extra inspections over the past three months, but Chan questioned the effectiveness of such checks. “From my perspective, I wonder whether the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office has enough inspectors to enforce properly,” Chan said on RTHK's In The Chamber programme. “The range of non-smoking areas has increased significantly, including areas outside schools. If you are still using the same amount of staff... how well can the law be enforced?” Chan also suggested there is a lack of coordination between government departments when it comes to enforcement. “We have heard of many cases where TACO inspectors declined to enforce the law because the area fell under the jurisdiction of the Housing Department or the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department,” he said. While the office should increase its manpower, Chan said other government staff should also step up enforcement in no-smoking areas under their jurisdiction. He called on the TACO to increase checks during non-office hours, adding that he had received complaints from residents that smoking offences went unaddressed over the weekend. Chan also said cigarette smuggling appears to be “out of control” despite government crackdowns. He suggested that enforcement agencies, including the Customs and Excise Department, should enhance intelligence collection and carry out more undercover operations. Edited by Thomas McAlinden