Stub it out: China’s Jilin puts smokers to a 90-day test

Stub it out: China’s Jilin puts smokers to a 90-day test The province-wide contest has drawn an enthusiastic response as the country works to bring down smoking rates that remain particularly high among men. BEIJING: Stub it out for 90 days and prove it - that’s the challenge being put to smokers in China’s northeastern Jilin province, as the country expands anti-smoking efforts through outdoor restrictions, campaigns and volunteer patrols. Launched on Sep 1, the province-wide competition offers participants one-on-one support from doctors, including psychological intervention and medical assistance, according to local authorities. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have smoked for more than a year, according to Chinese media reports. They will undergo an initial consultation and follow-up visits, culminating in an exhaled carbon monoxide test to verify whether they have quit. Successful participants will receive an honorary certificate. Registration runs until Sep 20, and there have been early signs of strong demand. By the evening of the first day of registration on Sep 1, more than half of the participating clinics had run out of slots, local news outlet Jimu News reported, citing checks on the competition’s online registration portal. STUBBING OUT A STUBBORN HABIT Smoking remains a serious health concern in China. More than one million people in the country die from smoking-related diseases every year, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The country is seeking to further reduce smoking rates. Released in July, Beijing’s national health plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) called for stronger smoking-cessation services and more smoke-free environments. It also retains a longstanding target of reducing the smoking rate among people aged 15 and above to 20 per cent by 2030. According to China’s latest Adult Tobacco Survey, conducted in 2024, 23.2 per cent of people aged 15 and above were smokers. The rate was far higher among men, at 43.9 per cent, compared with just 1.8 per cent among women, the survey said. Shanghai unveiled an ambitious 2026 tobacco control plan, increasing enforcement of indoor smoking bans and discouraging smoking in outdoor public spaces like bus stops. Health authorities in northern Hebei province have run a series of “100 people, 100 days” quit-smoking contests since 2021, with events held in several cities such as Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Tangshan and Handan. Shijiazhuang’s 2026 contest offered more than just bragging rights. Launched in May, it offered successful quitters entry into a lucky draw, with the first prize worth 3,000 yuan (US$447). “WHERE’S MY REWARD?” Jilin’s quit-smoking competition sparked debate online over whether Chinese authorities should be doing more to curb smoking. “Why not just raise the fines? They could bring in more revenue for the country,” said one user on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. China does not have a comprehensive nationwide ban on smoking in indoor public places, with rules varying across the country and enforcement often patchy. In major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, people caught smoking in prohibited areas can be fined up to 200 yuan. “It’d be better to shut down the tobacco companies and stop sales altogether,” remarked another Xiaohongshu user. Non-smokers wanted in on the action too. “I've never smoked in my life,” quipped one Xiaohongshu user. “Where’s my reward?”