China’s smoking rate among people aged 15 and above fell to 23.2 percent in 2023. This marks a 0.9 percentage point drop from 2022, according to a study released on Thursday.
Specifically, male tobacco use declined by 1.4 points to 43.9 percent. Meanwhile, female use decreased by 0.5 points to 1.8 percent.
Furthermore, rural areas showed higher smoking rates than urban areas. In 2024, 24.9 percent of rural residents smoked, compared to just 20.9 percent in cities. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention led the study, which surveyed nearly 200,000 people.
In addition, secondhand smoke exposure decreased. About 46.5 percent of nonsmokers reported exposure in 2023, down 5.9 points from 2022. Most exposure occurred in restaurants, homes, and indoor workplaces.
At a public event in Beijing, Guo Yanhong, vice-minister of China’s National Health Commission, emphasized the urgency of tobacco control. She said it remains a key part of China’s effort to improve public health by 2030.
Guo acknowledged ongoing challenges. “We still have a long way to go,” she said. China aims to reduce the smoking rate among those aged 15 and above to 20 percent by 2030.
To reach that goal, Guo called for stronger education efforts. In particular, she stressed teaching children and teens about the dangers of tobacco. She believes early awareness can reduce future smoking.
Moreover, public awareness of tobacco risks is rising. The study found that 40.1 percent of respondents saw anti-smoking messages online in the past 30 days. That figure increased by 5.1 points from 2022.
In terms of health knowledge, more people now understand the harm caused by tobacco. About 23.8 percent of participants recognized that smoking is linked to lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and erectile dysfunction, an 8.2-point jump from 2022.
Shi Xiaoming, deputy director of China CDC, also noted progress. He said awareness of secondhand smoke risks has grown. In 2023, 44.2 percent of people knew it could cause lung cancer, childhood respiratory illness, and heart disease. This reflects a 7.1-point rise from 2022.
At the same time, fewer people saw smoking in media. Only 36.4 percent reported seeing it in shows, videos, or films over the past month. That figure dropped by more than 9 points from 2022.
Encouragingly, more smokers are trying to quit. Over one in five had made a quit attempt. Meanwhile, 3.5 percent of all respondents reported using e-cigarettes.
In Beijing, smoking rates have steadily declined. In 2014, 23.4 percent of residents aged 15 and older smoked. By 2023, that number had dropped to 19.2 percent. The city implemented a strict smoking ban in 2015 covering restaurants, offices, and public transport.
As a result, the capital has seen major improvements. Xu Xinchao, deputy secretary-general of Beijing government, said the number of smokers dropped by nearly 700,000. He also noted that public smoking has become far less common.
Written by Yi Shen, additional reporting by China Daily.
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