Law

How can we use the name of smoking control to attract attention

2025-09-04   

According to recent media reports, the person who complained about Lu Xun's cigarette wall painting has had their account closed for repeatedly promoting so-called nicotine bags under the guise of smoking control, violating relevant laws, regulations, and online community conventions. Coincidentally, a recent internet celebrity posted a video on the streets of Shanghai discouraging strangers from smoking, which sparked a conflict. Netizens questioned whether he intentionally provoked the other party to attract attention. Currently, the internet celebrity account has been banned from publishing works by the platform. Smoking is harmful to health, which is a consensus among the public. Data shows that the number of deaths caused by smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke exceeds 8 million worldwide each year, with over 300 million smokers in China and millions of people losing their lives due to tobacco every year. From enclosed offices to crowded high-speed railway platforms, from culturally rich memorial halls to smoke filled streets, tobacco smoke not only pollutes the air but also invisibly deprives others of their health. Since the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control came into effect in China in 2006, the country has vigorously promoted the legalization of tobacco control work. In 2010, Shanghai issued the first tobacco control regulation issued by a provincial-level people's congress, the "Shanghai Public Places Smoking Control Regulations"; In 2011, the former Ministry of Health issued the Implementation Rules for the Regulations on Public Place Health Management, which explicitly required smoking to be prohibited in indoor public places; In June 2015, the "Beijing Smoking Control Regulations" came into effect, which was known as the "strictest smoking control regulation in history" at that time; In June 2025, the local standard "Construction Specification for Smoke free Places" (DB4403/T 622-2025) in Shenzhen was officially implemented, marking the birth of the first local standard for the construction of smoke-free places in China... These measures demonstrate that China's attitude towards tobacco control is consistent and firm. Smoking control is indeed necessary, but some people use "smoking control" as a cover to transform public welfare issues into profit-making tools, harvesting benefits in the name of seemingly justice. For example, the parties involved in the above news, in the name of tobacco control, attract traffic and even promote tobacco products. This not only undermines the credibility of the tobacco control cause, harms volunteers who patiently advise smokers on the streets and alleys, as well as public welfare organizations that advocate for tobacco control legislation, but also disrupts the normal order of tobacco control work, making it even more arduous. Justice on the lips, but business in the heart. Formal tobacco control law enforcement has clear subjects, procedures, and punishment standards, and does not allow profiteers to deliberately create conflicts. For such behavior of treating public welfare issues as "business operations", it must be severely punished. Relevant departments should further improve relevant laws and regulations, clarify the legal attributes of tobacco and nicotine products such as nicotine bags, as well as the legal responsibilities of production, sales, and promotion, and promptly include them in the scope of supervision. At the same time, it is necessary to establish a cross departmental database and increase the crackdown on accounts that use the pretext of smoking control to attract traffic. For those who are suspected of serious illegal activities such as inciting confrontation and intensifying conflicts, not only should their accounts be banned, but the parties involved should also be held legally responsible in accordance with the law. The website platform should fulfill its social responsibility, strengthen content review and management, establish a special review mechanism for nicotine products such as nicotine bags and other tobacco products, and use AI recognition, keyword blocking and other technical means to monitor relevant illegal content in real time. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the real name authentication of accounts, focus on investigating abnormal behaviors such as "criticizing smoking while recommending alternatives", and strengthen data sharing with law enforcement departments. The information of illegal accounts should be promptly pushed to relevant departments to achieve seamless integration of online and offline governance. The general public should also improve their discernment ability. When it comes to hot events and topics on the internet, they should remain rational and calm, carefully discern the motives and purposes behind them, enhance their vigilance against such behavior, and not easily be misled by seemingly just slogans. At the same time, all sectors of society should actively participate in tobacco control public welfare undertakings, support genuine tobacco control organizations and activities, contribute to creating a good tobacco control environment, guide the public to establish correct values, and jointly safeguard public order, good customs, and public interests. The road to smoking control is long and obstructed, but it must be reached. From the lawful supervision of law enforcement officers to the civilized dissuasion of ordinary people, every step needs to be carried out on the track of the rule of law. When smoking control is no longer an either or confrontation, but a joint health action involving the government, society, and individuals, and when "no smoking" becomes a civilized habit, we can truly build a public space with fresh air, healthy harmony - this is not only a respect for life, but also the best interpretation of modern social governance wisdom. (New Society)

Edit:Wang Shu Ying Responsible editor:Li Jie

Source:Rule of Law Daily

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