With warning boards and notices clearly in sight and public health inspectors touring indoor bars and eating rooms, Hong Kong on Monday started to implement ordinance extending the smoke ban areas to parks, malls, pubs and other vast majority of indoor places.

After months of preparation and education, the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance formally took effect on Jan. 1 in Hong Kong, extending smoke-free environment to more places in the metropolis.

The Amendments of the Ordinance extended the smoking ban to a vast majority of indoor areas and empowered the tobacco control inspectors of the Tobacco Control Office (TCO) under the Department of Health to take enforcement actions.

Dr. T H Leung, deputy director of health, said the tobacco control inspectors had carried out operations throughout the New Year Eve and would continue during the New Year to help members of the public and venue managers adapt to the legislative changes of a smoke-free environment.

Those inspectors had visited premises of different nature and sizes, including restaurants, bars, karaoke lounges and shops, reminding the public to abide by the smoking ban and advising venue managers to provide a smoke-free environment to their staff and customers.

Leung noted that venues that should stay smoke-free from Monday include all indoor areas of workplaces, public places, restaurants, bars for all ages, and karaoke lounges.

Extended no-smoking areas also cover indoor areas of public markets, hawker bazaars, cooked-food hawker bazaars, refuse collection points, and public toilets under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department as well as beaches, swimming pools, stadiums, sports grounds, sports centers, museums, libraries, civic centers, and most public pleasure grounds under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

According to the new ordinance, anyone who has committed a smoking offense is subject to a maximum penalty of 5,000 HK dollars (about US$641).

"Both the smokers and venue managers should understand the rationale behind such a legislation which aims at further protecting people's health and preventing them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke," Leung said.

Leung also reminded venue managers of six types of listed establishments which had notified the Director of Health to implement the smoking ban by July 1, 2009 at the latest and to abide by the statutory requirements.

These establishments are bars for people aged 18 and above, bathhouses and massage establishments, nightclubs, designated mahjong rooms in qualified clubs, and Mahjong tin-kau premises.

Under the new ordinance, smoking at 1,200 public pleasure grounds, including all civic centers, museums and libraries, will be prohibited from Jan. 1, while smoking areas occupying no more than 1 percent of the venue size have been specified in 195 venues and smoking will be allowed in about 60 small-scale venues, according to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2007)