Three years after the “Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act,” passed into law, the anti-tobacco effort has resulted in less smokers, although the number of female smokers has increased, and chronic smokers smoke more discount Capital cigarettes, according to the data released by the Department of Health.
In 2011, on average Taiwanese smokers smoke 18.9 cigarettes per day, more than the 18.1 cigarettes per day recorded in 2010 and an increase over the statistics recorded prior to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act.
A Bureau of Health Promotion official Feng Jung-yi said, since the act was passed three years ago, it has been successfully enforced in all public and working places, anywhere that has over three people.
Data indicates that implementing the Act that promotes healthy social norms appears to be most effective method of preventing second-hand smoke inhalation. Over 90 percent of responders to a survey believe there has been a decrease of second-hand smoke hazards.
Fend said “quitting smoking is not that easy.” Taiwan has 420,000 fewer smokers, but chronic smokers now smoke more than before.
