gsthr logo
Quick links to detailed datasheets for China at gsthr.org

Smoking in China

Current smoking prevalence in the general population in China has been decreasing in recent years. In 2000 around 30% of the population were current smokers; this decreased to 27% in 2015 and a further decrease to 25% is projected according to WHO trend estimates. Prevalence of smoking in men is high - in 2000 it was 56.5%; this decreased to 51% in 2015 and is projected to decrease to around 47% by 2025. For women the current smoking prevalence was only 3% in 2000, dropping to 2.5% in 2015 and projected to decrease to 2% by 2025. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates are not age standardised, and were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust.

Read articles from China

February 16, 2024 by filtermag.org

Australia’s Vape Prohibition Replicates Drug-War Disasters

Australia's stringent anti-vaping stance has resulted in a thriving illicit market for vaping products, echoing the failures of drug bans in the past. Over 90% of Australia's 1.7 million adult vapers have turned to the illicit market due to harsh restrictions that require a nicotine prescription to vape legally. The illicit market in Australia is estimated to import 120 million unregulated vapes from China annually, with products sold openly without consumer protections. The profitability of illegal vapes has led to an intensifying turf war among organized trafficking networks, resulting in acts of violence and exploitation of marginalized recruits.

December 11, 2023 by qz.com

Lawmakers seek action against Elf Bar and other fruity e-cigarettes imported from China

House lawmakers are demanding information from federal officials on what they are doing to stop the recent influx of kid-appealing electronic cigarettes from China. Members of a new congressional committee on U.S.-China relations sent the request Thursday to Justice Department and Food and Drug Administration leaders, calling attention to “the extreme proliferation of illicit vaping products.”

December 06, 2023 by reuters.com

China e-cigarette titan behind 'Elf Bar' floods the U.S. with illegal vapes

A new breed of e-cigarette has addicted teenagers and confounded regulators worldwide by offering flavors like Blue Cotton Candy and Pink Lemonade in a cheap, disposable package. The tycoon dominating this latest wave is Zhang Shengwei, 50, a veteran of China’s vape industry in the southern manufacturing hub of Shenzhen. Most people have never heard of him. Zhang quietly rose over 15 years from a boutique exporter to become one of the world’s largest vape manufacturers. His main company, Heaven Gifts, now competes with industry giants Juul Labs Inc and British American Tobacco Plc (BATS.L) in the United States, the United Kingdom and across Europe.

August 25, 2023 by tobaccoinduceddiseases.org

E-Cigarette Awareness and Use, Among Adult Residents in Shanghai, China

The widespread popularity of e-cigarettes is considered an important public health concern. However, only some studies have investigated the prevalence of e-cigarette use in Shanghai, China. This study aimed to estimate e-cigarette awareness, prevalence, and associated factors among adults in Shanghai, China.

July 31, 2023 by 2firsts.com

THR Advocates Applaud China's New Regulatory Move

On June 20, 2023, the Office of the State Tobacco Administration sent out a notification on the "Guidelines for Promoting the Building of Quality Assurance Systems for Exported Electronic Cigarette Products", which the key points of the guidelines include: All e-cigarettes exported from China will need to comply with local regulatory legal requirements and need to be traceable throughout their inbound and outbound transport. All Chinese exports of e-cigarettes that are investigated by authorities overseas for quality issues must be reported to the Tobacco Administration where the manufacturer is located and be subject to relevant investigations. [...]

July 29, 2023 by halfwheel.com

HONG KONG CONSIDERING GENERATIONAL TOBACCO BAN, HIGHER TAXES, PLAIN PACKAGING & MORE

Hong Kong is considering banning those born after a certain date from ever being able to purchase tobacco products, introducing plain packaging for tobacco products, increasing tobacco taxes and more. It’s all being considered as part of a wide-ranging survey from the Hong Kong Health Bureau as part of its Public Consultation on Tobacco Control Strategies, a survey that takes place between July 12-Sept. 30, 2023. Hong Kong’s government has set a goal of reducing the percentage of adults who smoke from 9.5 percent in 2021 to 7.8 percent by 2025. [...]

July 13, 2023 by scmp.com

Increasing Hong Kong’s tobacco tax every year will effectively discourage smoking, says health secretary

Hong Kong’s health chief has said increasing tobacco taxes every year is an effective way to discourage smoking but has stressed that authorities plan to consult the public on the issue.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau made the suggestion on Thursday, a day after his bureau launched a 2½-month public consultation on anti-smoking strategies, covering 14 proposed measures ranging from increasing tobacco tax to banning people born after a certain date from buying cigarettes.

July 13, 2023 by scmp.com

Lifetime ban on cigarettes for Hongkongers born after certain date proposed in public consultation on smoking

Banning Hongkongers born after a certain date from buying cigarettes is among measures in an open-ended public consultation on discouraging smoking, although insiders say some of the more controversial ideas were dropped. [...] The consultation, involving a citywide questionnaire, began on Wednesday and is expected to end on September 30.

March 22, 2023 by rti.org.tw

VIDEO: Vape ban officially enacted in Taiwan

Public health is a government priority. The increasing popularity of vaporized nicotine products has raised concerns about its impact on Taiwanese youths, so lawmakers are taking action to address the situation. Vaping, or consuming nicotine through vaporizing devices, has become increasingly popular, especially among teens.

Vapes were once touted as a potentially healthier alternative for smokers. However, starting last year, Taiwanese lawmakers began to propose legislation banning the import, sale, and manufacture of e-cigarettes, another term for vapes.

March 20, 2023 by nypost.com

Colorful Chinese-made e-cigarette Elf Bar using influencers to appeal to kids, Schumer says

Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate a hot, new Chinese-made e-cigarette that he believes is skirting American advertising laws by appealing directly to kids and teenager via social media.

The New York Democrat said the e-cig — called “Elf Bar” — is wrapped in colorful packaging to attract youthful customers. And it hooks them with kid-friendly flavors like rainbow candy, peach mango, cotton candy and vanilla ice cream, according to a Sunday statement.