Are Vaping Devices Included in Smoke-Free Restrictions?

Are vaping devices included in smoke-free restrictions? Today, the Beijing Smoking Control Association stated that they believe the currently popular electronic cigarettes also release harmful secondhand smoke and should be banned in public places. They will push for the inclusion of electronic cigarettes in the smoking control regulations.

In recent years, electronic cigarettes have become a trend. Recently, a passenger on Beijing's Metro Line 10 was advised against using an electronic cigarette, but he argued that it was not illegal and got into a dispute with the advisor. Additionally, a safety incident occurred when a co-pilot on a China National Airlines flight used an electronic cigarette, bringing the use of electronic cigarettes in public environments into the spotlight.
Zhang Jianshu, president of the Beijing Smoking Control Association, explained that since electronic cigarettes are a new phenomenon, they have not yet been included in the enforcement scope of Beijing's smoking control regulations. However, referencing the attitudes of civil aviation, high-speed rail, and other cities towards electronic cigarettes, he believes that electronic cigarettes also release harmful secondhand smoke and should be treated equally, thus banned in public places.

Are vaping devices included in smoke-free restrictions? "The amendment must be made by the National People's Congress, but we will do our best to push for the inclusion of electronic cigarettes in the smoking control regulations," he said. It is also necessary to advise against the use of electronic cigarettes.

Xiao Dan, head of the Tobacco Disease and Smoking Cessation Center at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, introduced that electronic cigarettes are electronic products that mimic traditional cigarettes and contain nicotine. The process of using them is theoretically the same as smoking, and they can also lead to addiction. From a population perspective, the widespread use of electronic cigarettes may increase the smoking rate of traditional cigarettes and affect the smoking cessation rate, thereby increasing the harm of tobacco to public health. Therefore, using electronic cigarettes to quit smoking is not advisable. The World Health Organization has clearly stated that electronic cigarettes are harmful to public health and are not recommended as a smoking cessation method.

Can you smoke electronic cigarettes in public places?

Lawyer: If it is harmful, it is not suitable to smoke in public places.

Ni Ruichun, a lawyer at Jiangsu Jingland Law Firm, stated that electronic cigarettes are a new phenomenon, and currently, there is no specific legal definition of "smoke" in China. "Generally speaking, smoking bans are mainly due to the harm caused by smoking in public places, meaning that 'smoke' contains harmful substances. This requires examining whether the vapor from electronic cigarettes contains harmful substances and whether it poses a health risk to others. If there is such a risk, electronic cigarettes are also not suitable for use in public places."