Taiwan Brings E-Cigarettes Under Campus Tobacco Control Rules

On May 5, the "Education Affairs Authority" of Taiwan announced a complete ban on smoking in schools below high school, including e-cigarettes, which are now included in the scope of campus tobacco harm and drug abuse prevention. Schools are required to manage this under school regulations, strictly prohibiting faculty, staff, and students from carrying or using them.

According to reports from Taiwan media such as Central News Agency and United Daily News, the "Education Affairs Authority" stated that e-cigarette products, which are marketed as novel and cool, use misleading claims such as "relatively healthier," "no secondhand smoke issues," or "can help quit smoking" to mislead teenagers' correct identification and understanding. E-cigarettes use battery power to vaporize liquid in an atomizer, producing vapor that resembles smoke and often contains nicotine to create a smoking effect. Overseas, e-cigarettes have been found to contain substances like amphetamines, marijuana, formaldehyde, or acetaldehyde, and there is also a risk of explosion, posing health and safety hazards.

Specific measures for preventing e-cigarettes on campus include incorporating e-cigarettes into the promotion of campus tobacco harm prevention, strengthening advocacy through diverse media, and integrating related teaching into health curriculum. Additionally, a "School Health Promotion Plan" will be promoted, listing tobacco harm prevention as a mandatory topic, and implementing an "Intervention Plan for Campus Tobacco Harm Prevention and Betel Nut Harm Prevention Education," with e-cigarette prevention courses as a focus.

According to statistics from the "Department of Health and Welfare" in Taiwan, approximately 38,000 teenagers were using e-cigarettes in 2019. Based on actual reported numbers from junior and senior high schools, the highest usage rate was 4.1% among third-year high school students.