The 36th World No Tobacco Day event was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on May 31 with the tagline "Smoke-Free for Growth, Popular Science for Health Support."

According to official statistics, the smoking rate among people aged 15 and above in Zhejiang has dropped to 19.12 percent, achieving the target set in the "Healthy China 2030 Action Plan" ahead of the 2030 deadline.

Tobacco use in Zhejiang is more prevalent among males than females, middle-aged individuals tend to smoke the most frequently, and smoking rates are higher in rural areas than urban areas. There is a declining trend in secondhand smoke exposure.

The province has implemented multiple measures to promote the creation of smoke-free cities. The dissemination of health education through extensive publicity campaigns is an important part of these efforts.

Hangzhou, taking into account its local circumstances, has proposed the slogan "Smoke-Free Hangzhou, Smoke-Free Asian Games."

On May 30, the 36th World No Tobacco Day publicity event and the "Smoke-Free Hangzhou, Smoke-Free Asian Games" community tobacco control fair were simultaneously launched at multiple venues throughout the city.

In 2019, Hangzhou implemented the revised "Hangzhou Public Places Smoking Control Regulation" and ended the transitional period for smoking restrictions in public places before the Asian Games.

The city has also achieved comprehensive smoke-free environments in workplaces, public places, and transport, fully reflecting the principle of "universal protection" of the right to health advocated by the World Health Organization.

According to a survey conducted by a third-party research institution on residents' attitudes toward tobacco control, the smoking rate among adults in Hangzhou decreased from 25.4 percent in 2008 to 18.79 percent in 2022.