China's Nonsmokers Confront Smokers as 10% of People Aged 15-24 Still Smoke
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 5
China's Nonsmokers Confront Smokers as 10% of People Aged 15-24 Still Smoke
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 5
Summary
Public disputes over smoking are becoming more visible in China as younger nonsmokers increasingly challenge people who light up in malls, restaurants, bus stops and other venues despite local bans.
Lax enforcement is driving those confrontations in a country that consumes roughly half the world's cigarettes, with smoking still common even in indoor public spaces and hospitals.
Recent clashes have turned physical or drawn police attention: a man was injured in a Shanghai restaurant brawl in June, and two April incidents in Shenzhen and Shanghai Disney triggered online backlash and compensation.
Smoking is less common among younger Chinese—10% of people aged 15 to 24 smoked in 2024, less than half the national rate—helping widen a generational divide over secondhand smoke and rule enforcement.