The head of Macao’s Health Bureau, Lo Iek Long, says the government is considering changing the smoking law in Macao to include more outdoor areas where smoking is prohibited, such as the entrances of kindergartens and schools.
According to multiple local media reports, the authorities are also looking to establish smoke-free zones in large spaces such as public squares and streets, with smoking only allowed in designated areas.
The possibility of tightening smoking regulations has been an ongoing discussion this year. In January, the prospect of banning smoking while walking was brought up.
Last month, TDM interviewed tourists and locals, who agreed that such behaviour was antisocial and expressed concern for health hazards that second-hand smoke could cause.
Officials have deferred taking further action however, saying that the issue was complex.
[See more: Smoking prevalence has dropped 36 percent over the past decade, officials say]
While acknowledging that it had also received many complaints and concerns about pedestrians smoking, the Macau United Citizens Association acknowledged that enforcing bans would be difficult.
Some academics have suggested setting up a complaint system and using CCTV to assist law enforcement through cross-departmental cooperation.
The Health Bureau meanwhile highlighted that between January to October of 2024, 50 percent of smoking violations were committed by tourists.
The bulk of Macao’s tourists come from mainland China – the world’s largest consumer and producer of tobacco, with around 300 million smokers, most of them male.
