SSM and Customs investigate case of illegal import of cigarettes and e-cigars

The Health Bureau (SSM) has reported that the Office for the Prevention and Control of Tobacco and Alcoholism of the SSM was notified by the Customs Service (SA) that a batch of suspected illegally imported tobacco products was found in a shop located on Rua Dois do Bairro Vá Tai in Macau.

The SSM dispatched staff to the shop to conduct an inspection, which revealed that the products did not comply with legal labeling requirements. The inspectors also found that the e-cigarette products imported into Macau were prohibited.

After the investigation, authorities discovered 300 packs of cigarettes (6,000 units) whose packaging did not bear the labeling required by Law No. 5/2011 (Smoking Prevention and Control Regime), as well as 265 e-cigarettes.

According to the SSM, there is evidence that these products were imported after the law prohibiting the import and export of e-cigarettes took effect on December 5, 2022.

The SA has seized the cigarettes and e-cigarette products, and the SSM will initiate the respective sanctioning procedure. Once the violations are confirmed, the culprits may face a fine of up to MOP200,000, and the seized products will be destroyed.

The SSM recently announced that Macau has already surpassed the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of reducing tobacco consumption.

Since the tobacco control law was introduced in 2011, tobacco consumption has fallen by 31.4%, surpassing the 30% reduction target proposed by the WHO.

According to the SSM survey results, consumers of tobacco and related products over the age of 15 represent 11.6% of this population, a relative reduction of 31.4% compared to the 16.9% recorded in 2011.

This figure means that 64,700 of the 559,900 people over 15 years old living in Macau are smokers. Of these, the vast majority (86%) smoke daily and prefer conventional cigarettes (96.8%). The use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in Macau is almost negligible (0.6% and 0.2%, respectively) due to the restrictions on the import of these products that are in force.

2023: A Year of Exceptions

The SSM report also noted that the consecutive decline in the rate of tobacco product consumption in Macau was interrupted in 2023 when consumption increased.

The results show an increase of 0.5% from 2022 (11.1% to 11.6% in 2023).

According to the health authorities, this increase was attributed to the smoking habits of non-resident workers and non-resident students in Macau. During the same period, tobacco consumption among residents still recorded a drop.

Addressing measures that may be enforced soon, the SSM noted the intention to implement a complete ban on e-cigarettes, including the use and possession of these types of products, along with stricter regulations for other tobacco products.

Despite these expressed intentions, there is not yet a concrete timeline for these regulatory amendments.