Beijing: China is stepping up anti-smoking efforts as 44 cities introduce or revise regulations by 2023, bringing the total number of cities with relevant regulations to 254 nationwide.
According to experts from the National Health Commission (NHC), at the provincial level, the proportion of the population protected by smoke-free regulations in China’s 24 regions continues to increase.
The announcement was made at a ceremony in Beijing on Saturday to mark the inauguration of a committee led by the medical establishment to fight tobacco and promote health. A seminar was also organized as part of the event.
“Smoking control, including prevention and promotion of smoking cessation among smokers, is a viable approach to population disease prevention and individual health care,” said NHC health expert Wang Lu.
China ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005 and implemented it in 2006.
In 2016, the country decided to strengthen tobacco control through prices, taxes and laws, as outlined in the document aimed at building a healthier China. It also aims to actively promote the establishment of a smoke-free environment and strengthen surveillance and law enforcement in public areas.
The plan aims to reduce smoking rates across the country among 15 to 20-year-olds by 2030.
In recent years, there have been active legislative efforts by local authorities to control tobacco.
For example, in Beijing, smoking is prohibited in public places, indoor workplaces and open queues. Shenzhen bans smoking in indoor workplaces, indoor public spaces, public transportation, and open spaces in schools, parks, and medical facilities.
As a result of ongoing anti-smoking efforts, the adult smoking rate in Shanghai has dropped to 19.4 percent.
Nationwide, the smoking rate among people 1,522 and older was 24.1 percent in 2022, down 1.7 percent from 2020.
NHC official Wu Xiangtian said China will actively promote a smoke-free environment and make health communication a focal point in disease treatment to help patients adopt a healthy lifestyle.
At the same time, the country will strengthen scientific research on the epidemiology and clinical treatment of tobacco dependence.
