Taipei’s ‘Smoke-Free City’ Initiative Gains Legal Backing

Taipei: An initiative announced in January by Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an to limit smoking in public places in the city this year is legally feasible, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said Monday. Under Chiang's "smoke-free city" plan, smoking would be banned in public spaces except for designated smoking areas or rooms set up by the city. According to Focus Taiwan, Shih stated that the plan aligns with Taiwan's Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, which authorizes competent authorities, including local governments, to designate certain outdoor locations as smoke-free areas while providing specific spaces where smoking is permitted. The law does not necessitate the installation of smoking rooms in outdoor areas but does not prohibit them either. In areas where smoking is already prohibited, such as sports venues, designated smoking zones can still be provided. These designated areas might be open zones or enclosed smoking rooms, with ventilation standards that are less stringent than those for indoor facilities. Shih noted that the act strictly bans smoking in indoor public spaces. On the same day, Mayor Chiang mentioned that Taipei is considering installing negative-pressure smoking rooms in the Zhongshan shopping district and Ximending areas as the next phase of the "smoke-free city" initiative. He highlighted the success of smoke-free zones at the Taipei Lunar New Year Market in Datong District and the Taipei Lantern Festival, expressing gratitude to local businesses and residents for their support. According to a 2024 survey by the Health Promotion Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the rate of exposure to secondhand smoke in Taiwan was 48.9 percent. It revealed that outdoor passages, including roads, streets, and covered sidewalks, were the most common places where exposure occurred.