Page 107 - TAIWAN TOBACCO CONTROL ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Public area second-hand smoke exposure rate Many heavy smokers argue that smoking is a basic human right and falsely believe that tobacco hazards are only present during smoking and that changing locations and proper ventilation by opening windows can eliminate all hazards. As a matter of fact, even smoking in ventilated indoor areas generates second-hand and third-hand smoke that contains carcinogens. These substances endanger the health of people in the vicinity at any concentration. After enactment of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, government agencies have been fully committed to the adoption of Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act policies and strategies. Smoking bans have been stipulated for all schools at the senior high school level and below and most indoor public areas. As a result of these bans, second-hand smoke exposure rates of adults aged 18 and above in indoor public areas dropped from 27.8% in 2008 to 3.6% in 2018 and second-hand smoke exposure rates in indoor and outdoor non-smoking areas fell from 23.7% in 2008 to 5.4% in 2018. These smoking bans have resulted in a 93.6% protection from second-hand smoke exposure in non-smoking areas. However, smokers abide by indoor smoking bans and instead smoke in outdoor public areas where no smoking bans exist. Second-hand smoke exposure rates in those areas have therefore increased from 36.2% in 2008 to 45.6% in 2018.(as shown in Fig. 3-5) Fig. 3-5 Trend of public area second-hand smoke exposure of adults Second hand smoke at indoor public places Regulation prohibiting second hand smoke at public places Second hand smoke at outdoor public places 100 80 60 40 20 0 January 2009, new regulations of Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act 34.3 40.9 Protection > 94.6% from SHS in public places April 2014, smoking prohibited in national parks June 2014, new version of warning signs on tobacco package 58.5 55.0 50.4 49.8 % 45.6 5.4 34.0 35.0 36.2 31.3 30.5 27.8 30.3 40.0 41.1 29.0 23.7 9.0 9.1 8.2 8.3 9.2 7.8 7.2 6.1 6.2 8.2 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 7.5 7.7 6.2 6.4 2014 2015 6.5 6.4 5.3 5.3 2016 2017 3.6 2006 2007 2008 2018 Year Note: 1. Source: Smoking-related information of the general public collected via telephone interviews conducted by the HPA for the "Adult Smoking Behavior Survey". The target of the survey were adults above 18 years of age. 2. Definitions: a. Definitions for second-hand smoke exposure in indoor public areas: Anytime within last week where an individual sees a person smoking near them in indoor public areas not including their own residences or workplaces. b. Definitions for second-hand smoke exposure in outdoor public areas: Anytime within last week where an individual sees a person smoking near them in outdoor public areas not including their own residences or workplaces. c. Definitions for second-hand smoke exposure in public areas where smoking is prohibited: Anytime within last week where an individual sees a person smoking near them in outdoor public areas excluding their own residences or workplaces. 3. Questionnaire Item: a. Questionnaire item from 2006 and 2007: "In the past week, has anyone smoked in front of you at home and public places besides your workplace?" "Where are the most common public places people have smoked in front of you? (Multiple-answer question with no prompt. Interviewers may make detailed counselling and provide a maximum of 3 answers.) (Excluding the respondent's home and workplace.)" If the respondent "responded that they were exposed to second-hand smoke in public places but did not detail the places where they were exposed", "did not respond if they were exposed to second-hand smoke in public places and did not detail the places where they were exposed", responded "don't know", or "refused to respond" to the aforementioned questions, then those answers should be considered the missing data. b. Questionnaire item from 2008 and 2018: "In the past week, has anyone smoked in front of you at public places besides your home and workplace? (Including smelling smoke.) (Public place: places with public access for dining, clothing, accommodation, transportation, education, entertainment and other activities)", "Besides smoking rooms, where are the most common public places people have smoked in front of you? (Multiple-answer question with no hints. Interviewers may make detailed counselling and provide a maximum of 3 answers.) (Excluding the respondent's home and workplace.)" If the respondent "responded that they were exposed to second- hand smoke at public places but did not respond the places to were exposed to", "did not respond if they were exposed to second- hand smoke in public places but did not detail the places where they were exposed", "did not respond if they were exposed to second-hand smoke in public places and did not detail the places where they were exposed", responded "don't know / not sure", or "refused to respond" to the aforementioned questions, then those answers should be considered the missing data. 4. Values were based upon the Taiwan region household census of 2000 carried out by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics (DGBAS). Weight adjustments were carried out according to gender, age, education background, and characteristics of the area of residence. 54.6 105 () Research, Monitoring, and International Exchange