The government considers it unviable to implement a ban preventing people from smoking while walking on public streets, in the context of the ongoing public consultation on strengthening tobacco consumption restrictions.
The position was stated by the head of the Office for the Prevention and Control of Smoking and Alcoholism at the Health Services, Lam Chong. Speaking on the Fórum Macau program on Radio Macau, Lam Chong said there are no successful international examples of this type of prohibition. “No country or region has managed to implement a ban on smoking while walking in the street,” he said, responding to a listener who advocated for such a measure.
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According to the official, the government’s strategy instead focuses on designating areas with high pedestrian flow as no-smoking zones — a measure already included in the proposed legislative amendments.
Lam Chong acknowledged the option does not meet the expectations of those calling for a total ban, but said it could reduce exposure to smoke in the most frequented open-air spaces. He also stressed that the creation of smoke-free areas sends a clear message to smokers that tobacco consumption is socially undesirable.
