Zhejiang Launches "Protect Growth" Campaign to Shield Minors From Tobacco Harm

To further protect minors from tobacco harm, the Zhejiang Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau and the Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Administration have jointly formulated the "Protect Growth" special action plan to shield minors from tobacco harm (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"). The special action will last for three months and will be divided into three phases: publicity and mobilization, concentrated rectification, and summary improvement.

The "Plan" emphasizes the need to firmly implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, as well as the requirements of laws and regulations. It calls for increased efforts to investigate and punish illegal tobacco-related activities, with a greater focus on prevention, combining treatment and comprehensive governance. This includes ensuring adequate publicity and education, strengthening legal promotion at tobacco sales points (including e-cigarettes), and urging the comprehensive installation of warning signs; ensuring adequate preventive protection by strictly enforcing distance standards around primary and secondary schools and kindergartens (hereinafter referred to as "school surroundings"), implementing registration and investigation of tobacco sales points, and accelerating the clearance of illegal sales points; and ensuring adequate supervision and enforcement by strictly investigating illegal sales of tobacco to minors, continuously strengthening online monitoring, and increasing the crackdown on illegal activities to effectively protect the healthy growth of minors.

The "Plan" outlines three main tasks. First, strictly enforce the requirement that no sales points should be set up around schools. This includes strictly adhering to distance and measurement standards and clearing existing tobacco sales points around schools. Second, strictly investigate illegal sales of tobacco to minors. This includes implementing regulations for setting up warning signs and verifying identification documents, as well as strengthening daily supervision of the tobacco market and legally investigating illegal sales of tobacco to minors. Third, continuously strengthen supervision of the e-cigarette market. This includes strictly regulating the production and operation of e-cigarettes, continuously enhancing control over internet channels, and guiding physical e-cigarette stores to operate legally and in compliance with regulations.

The "Plan" requires all units to strengthen organizational leadership, enhance comprehensive governance, and ensure effective publicity and guidance to ensure the special action achieves results.