SSM eyes covered smoking areas in NAPE

More than two months into a no-smoking zone pilot around Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção Park in NAPE, Health Bureau director Alvis Lo reported satisfactory results and announced plans to introduce covered smoking areas next month.

Speaking at the Cultural Centre during the launch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s (IC) “Macao Just Read – National Reading Campaign Week 2026,” Lo said the mid-February program has operated smoothly.

Lo said residents, tourists, and commuters have adapted well, with daily advisories dropping from about 40 people initially to one or two now, mainly due to lack of awareness or negligence. No penalties are in place yet, as measures are still being studied.

“Currently, within the no-smoking area, there is an open-air area with an ashtray where smoking is permitted,” Lo said. “We will try a covered model to test the acceptance of different smoking areas within the no-smoking zone, and to assess the impact on nearby shops and residents.”

The bureau will add covered areas in May in more open spaces within the district and will gather feedback from residents and stakeholders alongside results from recent public consultations.

Once refined, the model is expected to seek legislative backing and expand first to high-traffic areas to strengthen public smoking controls across Macau. “We are trialing different models and will make adjustments based on the opinions from all parties after completing a public consultation on the legislative amendment,” Lo said. NS