Shenzhen officially declares war on e-cigarettes, adding them to its tobacco control blacklist

Shenzhen officially declares war on e-cigarettes, adding them to its tobacco control blacklist. On June 26, the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Sixth Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress passed the revised "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Smoking Control Regulations," officially including e-cigarettes in tobacco control management. According to incomplete statistics, 42 countries and regions worldwide have banned or restricted the use of e-cigarettes in public places. In Hong Kong and Macau, as well as in Hangzhou and Nanning, regulations have been established to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in public places.


On the afternoon of June 26, the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee voted to pass the new "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Smoking Control Regulations."


The Shenzhen government has published the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Smoking Control Regulations online.

The revised smoking control regulations clearly include e-cigarettes in the scope of smoking control, prohibiting smoking in outdoor ticket purchase areas at bus stations and related places, and banning the sale of tobacco products within 50 meters of primary and secondary schools. The new smoking control regulations will take effect on October 1, 2019.

The definition of tobacco products is clarified, including e-cigarettes.


As a new phenomenon, many sellers attract consumers with claims of being "cigarette substitutes" and "helping to quit smoking."

However, e-cigarettes also have their harms. According to research by the World Health Organization, e-cigarettes contain harmful compounds such as nicotine and formaldehyde, and the levels of certain metals they produce, such as nickel and chromium, can even be higher than those found in secondhand smoke from traditional cigarettes.

On this year's Consumer Rights Day, March 15, CCTV exposed the health hazards of e-cigarettes. Currently, 42 countries and regions worldwide have banned or restricted the use of e-cigarettes in public places.

The new smoking control regulations expand the definition of "smoking" to clearly include the use of e-cigarettes and add definitions for tobacco products and e-cigarettes.

The smoking control regulations state that "smoking refers to the use of e-cigarettes, holding ignited or heated non-combustible tobacco products."

Regarding the definition of tobacco products, the new smoking control regulations also clarify that "tobacco products refer to products made entirely or partially from tobacco for smoking, sucking, chewing, or nasal inhalation, as well as e-cigarettes."

The scope of smoking control has expanded, prohibiting smoking at bus stations.

The new smoking control regulations include the area within five meters outside the entrances and exits of public transportation stations, as well as outdoor platforms and waiting areas of public transportation, and related outdoor ticket purchase areas and waiting areas outside pedestrian entrances.

To protect minors from the influence of tobacco products and ensure their physical and mental health, the new smoking control regulations add provisions stating that "tobacco products must not be sold within 50 meters of primary and secondary schools and youth activity centers."

Additionally, the tobacco monopoly bureau will be included as a member unit of the joint conference on smoking control;

No more "warnings" will be given; direct fines will be imposed upon discovery!


The new smoking control regulations adjust the legal responsibilities of individuals and tobacco product sellers, removing the requirement for "not listening to the advice of the venue operators or managers" in the penalties for individuals smoking in prohibited areas, and stipulating that law enforcement agencies shall order corrections and impose fines directly according to their responsibilities;

For sellers of tobacco products who fail to set up clear signs indicating the health hazards of smoking and the prohibition of selling tobacco products to minors at their sales locations, due to their violation of basic smoking control requirements, and because the situation is relatively common and prominent, the new smoking control regulations remove the "warning" penalty and stipulate a gradient fine system.

The legal responsibilities of venue operators and managers have also been adjusted, with a tiered system of penalties based on the severity of the violation.

The new smoking control regulations state that if the operators or managers of prohibited smoking venues fail to fulfill their responsibilities as stipulated in Article 10 of this regulation, relevant departments shall issue a warning and order corrections; if the same violation occurs again within 24 months, a fine of between 5,000 and 30,000 yuan will be imposed.