TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei aims to become a non-smoking city by the end of the year by expanding restrictions on smoking in public spaces while allowing smokers to use designated outdoor smoking areas.
Taiwan has long prohibited indoor smoking, but outdoor smoking has been more difficult to control, as no-smoking signs are often ignored. As a result, non-smokers frequently have little way to avoid secondhand smoke in public areas, per CNA.
According to a 2024 survey by the Health Promotion Administration, the outdoor secondhand smoke exposure rate reached 48.9%, with roads, streets, and arcades among the most common places where people encounter smoke.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) recently proposed studying the creation of a smoke-free city, drawing on international practices such as establishing designated smoking areas or public smoking rooms. The goal is to separate smokers from non-smokers while creating a smoke-free environment across the city.
Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) told reporters Monday that the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act provides the legal basis for expanding no-smoking areas throughout the city. He said the law also permits the establishment of outdoor smoking areas or smoking rooms.
Shih said the act authorizes competent authorities at all levels, including local governments, to designate additional outdoor no-smoking areas and establish specific locations for smoking. For example, the Taipei City Government could designate sections of pedestrian walkways as no-smoking zones while setting aside separate smoking areas.
He added that Article 19 of the act allows certain outdoor venues to be designated entirely smoke-free. Outdoor sports facilities, for example, are often completely non-smoking, though designated smoking areas may still be provided.
Shih said there are several options for establishing smoking areas. Unlike indoor smoking rooms, outdoor smoking areas are not subject to the same strict ventilation requirements or regulatory standards.
