Market & legal data for the vapour sector in Hong Kong

28th November 2024: Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, a government-funded statutory body, has called for banning e-cigarette possession due to their growing appeal among youth. The council’s chairman, Henry Tong, raised concerns about harmful additives like synthetic cannabinoids being discreetly mixed into e-liquids, making them particularly risky for young users. He also emphasised the urgency of legislation to curb this growing issue, press reports.
6th June 2024: Hong Kong: Deputy secretary for health Eddie Lee said the government plans to outlaw alternative smoking products completely, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, press reports. A ban on selling or importing these products is already in force, but the government plans to extend the ban to retail buyers. “A blanket ban on alternative smoking products has become a consensus in society,” said Lee. He added: “It is time to ban all forms of possession of alternative smoking products, including for personal use.” A bill is expected to be introduced to the legislature this year.
27th June 2023: Hong Kong: Trans-shipment of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products is now allowed, following the adoption of the Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2023. The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health expressed regret about the move, saying it would hinder effective enforcement of the ban on the production, import and sales of such products.
28th October 2022: Hong Kong: Hong Kong could reverse the ban on the re-export of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products by the end of this year, as reported by South China Morning Post.
26th May 2022: Hong Kong: Hong Kong Customs has announced results of a special enforcement operation against alternative smoking products. The authority cracked down on 46 cases involving heated tobacco and vapour products at Hong Kong International Airport, Shenzhen Bay Control Point, and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point. About 360,000 suspected products with an estimated market value of more than $10m were seized by Customs officers. The maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and imprisonment for six months.
5th May 2022: Hong Kong: Hong Kong police have arrested two people for violating the ban on selling alternative smoking products. Officers seized 94 boxes of suspected nicotine-containing e-cigarette cartridges and 74 “smoking devices” during the operation in Mong Kok, press reports. They were reportedly the first arrests under the ban, which came into effect on Saturday.
3rd May 2022: Hong Kong: Hong Kong Customs reports a major operation to combat illicit heated tobacco and e-cigarettes, with products with an estimated market value of $15m seized in the past month. The Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 came into effect on Saturday, 30th April, banning production, import, sales and promotion of heat-not-burn (HnB) and vaping products, subject to a fine of up to $50,000 and up to six months’ jail.

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