Proportion of smokers has fallen, survey finds

Wang Xiaodong

(China Daily USA)

Updated: 2015-05-21

Tobacco control efforts have led to a fall in the proportion of Beijing's population who smoke over the past six years, according to a survey released on Wednesday - less than two weeks before the capital's toughest restrictions yet come into force.

The smoking rate among people ages 15 and above was 23.4 percent last year, 4 percentage points lower than in 2008. This means there were 4.19 million smokers in Beijing in 2014, according to the study.

The survey covered 8,484 people and was conducted in 2,548 public areas and workplaces, 314 restaurants and 100 communities between May and December last year. It was organized by the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Capital Medical University.

The results show a wide difference in the smoking rate between men and women, as 43.2 percent of males said they smoked, while the figure for females was just 2.4 percent. On average, a smoker lights 14.6 cigarettes a day, according to the survey.

Just over 11.5 percent of those who smoked said they plan to quit within a year, and nearly 60 percent had been urged to quit by doctors in the previous year.

"The results show that tobacco control efforts have yielded noticeable results in Beijing," said Zeng Xiaopeng, the center's deputy director. "Smoking rates are lowest in the places where a tobacco ban has been enforced for the longest period of time, such as public vehicles, hospitals and schools."

Zeng added, "Beijing is well prepared for the enforcement of the new tobacco control regulations."

The restrictions, which were adopted in November by the Beijing People's Congress, are among the toughest of their kind in China. They forbid smoking in all indoor public areas and workplaces and some outdoor areas, including schools, the seating areas of sports stadiums and hospitals that treat women or children.

Violators will face fines of up to 200 yuan ($32), a twenty-fold increase from the current 10 yuan penalty.

However, it will be difficult to root out those who ignore the regulations when they take effect on June 1, said Wang Benjin, deputy director of the Beijing Health Inspection Bureau.

"We will intensify inspections in key sites where smoking is prevalent, such as restaurants and nightclubs," he said.

Wang added that there are 1,100 health inspectors in the city, but they will not be able to enforce the rules on their own.

"We urge the whole of society, including the owners of restaurants and bars, to assume responsibility."

wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 05/21/2015 page1)