Hong Kong is doubling its fine for smoking offenses to HK$3,000 (approximately $385) while designating more no-smoking areas starting on New Year’s Day, according to the Department of Health.

The department said in a statement that the new regulations under the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 will take effect on Thursday.

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Under the new rules, additional no-smoking areas will include public places that lie within three meters outside entrances and exits exclusively used for child care centers, residential care homes, schools, hospitals and specified clinics or health centers.

Smoking will also be prohibited while queuing, including waiting to board public transport at designated locations, standing in designated boarding areas, and queuing to enter specified premises.

The department said anti-smoking campaigns have been intensified at boundary control points, major tourist attractions, and bus stops, with leaflets distributed at key tourist spots and on Chinese mainland social media platforms.

The department’s Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office said that interdepartmental coordination has been strengthened to ensure effective enforcement of these new regulations.

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Hong Kong is rolling out new tobacco control measures in stages. Some rules are already in place, like higher fines for illegal cigarettes and a ban on selling smoking products to anyone under 18, which started on Sept 19, 2025.

Another rule, set to start on April 30, 2026, will make it illegal to have alternative smoking products, such as e-cigarettes, in public places.