G. Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (“TACO”) is a unit of the Department of Health established to strengthen and co-ordinate Hong Kong’s tobacco control work, and it now serves as the principal enforcement agency for the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) and the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance (Cap. 600).
In operational terms, TACO mainly enforces offences relating to illegal smoking in statutory no-smoking areas, tobacco advertising and sale restrictions, and the regulation of alternative smoking products.
Under section 15G of the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Inspectors are empowered to:
- enter any place where a relevant offence has been or is being committed (except residential premises),
- enter and inspect no-smoking areas of public places;
- seize anything that appears to be evidence of a relevant offence
- require any person who has committed a relevant offence to state his name and address and produce proof of identity;
- take photographs and make sound or video recordings for the purpose of obtaining evidence;
- require any person to produce documents or records and to make copies of them for the purpose of enforcing the relevant provisions; and
- require any person to provide such assistance or information as is reasonably necessary for that enforcement.
Any person who wilfully obstructs a Tobacco and Alcohol Control Inspector in the performance of his duty, who fails to give his name and address or to produce proof of identity, or who gives a false or misleading name or address, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $10,000.
Members of the public may lodge complaints regarding smoking offences with TACO via:
Address: Room 1801-1803, 18/F, Wing On Kowloon Centre, 345 Nathan Road, Kowloon
Telephone: 2961-8823
Email: tobaccocontrol@dh.gov.hk
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