TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) on Thursday presided over the opening of five negative-pressure smoking rooms, calling the initiative an important milestone in the city’s efforts to promote a smoke-free environment.
Three of the smoking rooms were installed in the Ximending shopping district, another in Xinzhongshan Linear Park, and another at a bus parking lot near Taipei Main Station. In addition, 100 outdoor smoking areas across the city officially opened the same day, per CNA.
Chiang said the facilities demonstrate that Taipei’s efforts to build a smoke-free city continue to advance and will not stop. Smoking will be fully prohibited in Ximending and Xinzhongshan Linear Park beginning June 1.
He added that the city government welcomes feedback from the public and will make adjustments as needed. Chiang said the city has been emboldened to pursue the initiative after a government survey found strong public support for pilot smoke-free measures implemented during the Taipei Lantern Festival.
The poll found that 96.2% of respondents supported adopting similar measures at large events and crowded public spaces, while 85.7% supported establishing outdoor smoking rooms, per CNA.
Chiang said Ximending will serve as a pilot site for the city’s smoking ban in public places. He said inspectors will guide smokers to designated smoking areas, helping break the habit of smoking in public and reducing secondhand smoke exposure for pedestrians.
Smoking in a designated no-smoking area may result in a fine of between NT$2,000 and NT$10,000 (US$60 to US$300), according to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act.
Taipei City Health Bureau Director Huang Chien-hua (黃建華) said the city currently has 183 designated smoking areas and smoking rooms. Residents can locate the facilities through a smoking-area map available on the TaipeiPASS app.
He added that multiple city departments will jointly conduct smoking hazard awareness campaigns and inspections.
