China has over 300 million smokers: Smoking rate drops to 25.8%, while youth e-cigarette use rises

"Currently, there are over 300 million smokers in China, with a smoking rate of 25.8% among people aged 15 and above, which is still far from the target of reducing the smoking rate to 20% set by the 'Healthy China Action.'"

On the eve of Children's Day, the China Smoking Control Association, along with the Chinese Society of Education and the 21st Century Public Welfare Foundation, held a promotion meeting for the 'China Smoking Control Campus Tour' and a school smoking control publicity event at Zhengzhou No. 101 Middle School. Liao Wenke, vice president of the China Smoking Control Association, made the above statement at the meeting. He emphasized that to close the gap to the target, youth smoking control work is particularly important.

↑ Liao Wenke, vice president of the China Smoking Control Association, speaking at the 'China Smoking Control Campus Tour' promotion meeting

Red Star News reporters noted that smoking control is one of the 15 special actions listed in the 'Healthy China Action (2019-2030)' initiated by the State Council in 2019. The 'Healthy China 2030' planning outline also proposes to use pricing, taxation, and legal measures to enhance smoking control effectiveness and gradually achieve a comprehensive indoor smoking ban in public places. By 2030, the smoking rate among people aged 15 and above should be reduced to 20%.

With the continuous advancement of smoking control efforts in China, relevant data shows that the smoking rate among people aged 15 and above has decreased from 26.6% in 2018 to 25.8% in 2020. However, it is important to note that, according to a relevant official from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, although the smoking rate among youth has decreased, the use of e-cigarettes has shown an upward trend.

Since 2014, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been monitoring tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among youth. The results show that in 2021, 16.7% of youth had tried smoking cigarettes, with the proportion of middle school students trying smoking down 5 percentage points from 2014, and high school students also showing a decrease compared to 2019.

Additionally, the exposure of youth to secondhand smoke has also decreased compared to previous surveys. Statistics show that in 2021, 56.4% of youth saw someone smoking at home, in indoor public places, outdoor public places, or on public transport within a 7-day period; within a 30-day period, 39.9% of youth saw someone smoking at school.

However, regarding e-cigarette use, the proportion has increased compared to previous surveys. According to the '2021 Tobacco Epidemic Monitoring Results for Chinese Middle School and University Students' released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention last year, in 2021, 86.6% of middle school students had heard of e-cigarettes, 16.1% had used e-cigarettes, and 3.6% were currently using e-cigarettes, which increased by 9.2, 3.5, and 0.8 percentage points respectively compared to 2019. Among middle school students who use e-cigarettes, the most commonly used flavor is fruit flavor (63.8%).

In fact, to regulate the sales management of e-cigarettes, the 'E-cigarette Management Measures' formulated by the National Tobacco Monopoly Administration began to be implemented on May 1 of last year, which prohibits the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes except for tobacco flavor. E-cigarette products must comply with the relevant regulations on packaging labeling and warnings, and strict regulations are imposed on the production and sale of e-cigarettes, prohibiting the sale of e-cigarette products to minors.

"Once youth start smoking, they are likely to develop a lifelong smoking habit, causing lasting harm to their health," Liao Wenke emphasized. He called for the continuous implementation of the 'China Smoking Control Campus Tour' activities to educate youth about the dangers of tobacco, helping them become a new generation that is 'smoke-free, healthy, and fashionable.' He reminded youth to take responsibility for their health, stay away from tobacco, and remember not to smoke the 'first cigarette.'

Red Star News reporters Yang Yuqi and intern Li Peixin