A video of a schoolgirl in Tsuen Wan smoking on a rooftop in her uniform has gone viral, sparking debate over youth smoking in the city.
The five-second silent clip circulated widely on social media over the weekend, showing the girl walking and puffing on a cigarette on what appears to be the rooftop of the Shek Wai Kok Estate parking garage—located just across the street from Po Leung Kuk Yao Ling Sun College.
In the footage, the student points at the camera and appears to gesture for the person recording to stop once she realizes she is being filmed.
Netizens were quick to identify her uniform as matching the attire of two local schools: Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College and Po Leung Kuk Yao Ling Sun College. However, because the uniform designs are nearly identical, it remains unclear which school she attends.
Some online commenters condemned the teenager for harming her health at such a young age, while others wondered if academic pressure played a role.
Conversely, several netizens criticized the person who uploaded the video, arguing that posting footage of a minor online crossed ethical lines and amounted to public shaming.
Others downplayed the incident as nothing out of the ordinary, noting that student smoking was equally prevalent in past decades.
One commenter sarcastically quoted a memorable line delivered by actor Nick Cheung in the 2000 Hong Kong film The Teacher Without Chalk, quipping, "What school doesn't allow smoking?"
The Education Bureau, Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College, and Po Leung Kuk Yao Ling Sun College had not commented on the incident as of Sunday noon.
