Shanghai releases latest data: Both e-cigarette use rate and secondhand smoke exposure rate have dec

On May 31, the China Youth Daily client reported from Shanghai (China Youth Daily · China Youth Network reporter Wei Qimeng) that today marks the 36th World No Tobacco Day. The theme promotional event for World No Tobacco Day, hosted by the Shanghai Health Promotion Committee and the Shanghai Health Commission, and organized by the Shanghai Health Promotion Center and the Shanghai Smoking Control Association, was held at the Shanghai Library, with the theme "No Smoking, Safeguarding Growth, Building and Sharing a Healthy City".

Scene of the World No Tobacco Day theme promotional event. Photo provided by the Shanghai Health Promotion Center

This year marks the 13th anniversary of the implementation of the Shanghai Public Places Smoking Control Regulations, during which it has been revised twice to achieve a comprehensive indoor smoking ban and include e-cigarettes in the smoking ban in public places. The latest data shows that the incidence of smoking violations in legally designated non-smoking areas has steadily decreased to 12.3%, with an e-cigarette usage rate of 2.2% in these areas, and public support for a comprehensive indoor smoking ban has reached 98.0%; since 2010, the adult smoking rate has decreased by 7.5%.

At the event, core data from the 2022 Shanghai Adult Tobacco Epidemic Monitoring Survey was released. The data shows that the adult smoking rate in the city is 19.4%, unchanged from 2021, with smoking rates of 36.8% for men and 0.8% for women. The adult e-cigarette usage rate in the city is 1.1%, down 0.4% from 2021, with usage rates of 1.9% for men and 0.3% for women. The proportion of non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke is 41.7%, a decrease of 9.8% from 2021. The proportion of smokers planning to quit within a month is 5.0%, and those considering quitting within the next 12 months is 20.8%. The proportion of smokers who attempted to quit in the past 12 months increased from 19.9% in 2021 to 22.0%.

Recently, in response to public concerns about outdoor smoking and smoking in public places, Shanghai has further launched and strengthened the "Three-Part Smoking Control Action" in public places, which includes "comprehensive indoor smoking ban, no smoking while walking outdoors, and please look for signs when smoking." Shanghai has initiated a special project for the Healthy Shanghai Action called "Demonstrative Outdoor Smoking Point Construction," providing outdoor smoking point signs and guidance signs to encourage smokers to form the habit of going to designated outdoor smoking points or keeping away from crowds to reduce the harm of secondhand smoke to public health; at the same time, information on smoking cessation services is provided at outdoor smoking points to encourage and assist smokers in quitting as soon as possible. Currently, the first batch of 100 demonstrative outdoor smoking points has been established across the city.

At the event, the organizers presented the "Smoking Control Social Responsibility Award" to "Shanghai Disney Resort" and "Shanghai Little Star Group." It was introduced that Xuhui District, Changning District, and Jinshan District have piloted a two-year "October Pregnancy: Dad Quits Smoking" family smoking cessation activity, providing professional and scientific smoking cessation guidance and assistance to smokers who are "expectant fathers, expectant grandfathers, and expectant great-grandfathers," promoting the health of smokers and key maternal and child groups in their families. This activity will be promoted citywide this year.