HEALTH Bureau (SSM) inspectors have performed a total of 1.7 million inspections since the law on Smoking Prevention and Control entered into force on January 1, 2012, the SSM said in a statement.
The figure equates to a daily average of 754 inspections, which resulted in a total of 46,984 cases registered.
This year alone, from January to May, the inspectors carried out 150,267 inspections, which represents a daily average of 995 inspections. This is an increase of 9,690 inspections compared to the same period last year. In addition, 2,285 cases were registered, of which 2,278 are related to illegal smoking and five are related to illegalities detected on tobacco product labels. Another two cases of illegal display of tobacco products on visible shelves were also registered.
The number of accusations related to illegal smokers dropped by 1,106 cases when compared with the same period of the previous year. The offenders were, in the majority, male (2,118 cases).
Regarding the origin of the offenders, 63.3 percent of the fines were imposed on tourists, while Macau residents accounted for another 34 percent.
In 70 cases, it was necessary to engage the help of police authorities to deal with offenders who refused to accept the charges.
In terms of fine payments, 81.7 percent of the cases had already been settled.
The establishment type where most infractions were recorded was casinos, followed by parks, gardens and recreation areas. Bus and taxi stands come in third in this list. RM
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