Kindergartens are designated as non-smoking facilities by the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, which was implemented on March 22, 2023. However, the campus gates, peripheral sidewalks, and other outdoor areas were not considered non-smoking areas. In an announcement dated August 29, 2024, the Taoyuan City Government designated public kindergarten gates and peripheral sidewalks in Taoyuan City as non-smoking venues to protect the health of children and adolescents from health hazards caused by secondhand smoke exposure. The advocacy period is three months, beginning on November 30. Violators may face fines of up to NT$10,000. The Department of Health urges everyone to follow relevant regulations and to be cautioned against breaking the law in order to maintain a smoke-free environment through concerted efforts.
From 2015 to 2023, announcements were successively made regarding the inclusion of Daxi and Heping Old Street, peripheral sidewalks of senior high schools and vocational high schools (lower), the surroundings of the city’s 13 health administrative units, bus shelters, chain convenience stores, coffee shops and fast food store arcades, the outdoor recreational and peripheral areas of Gloria Outlets, and the peripheral areas of the city’s social housing have been included as non-smoking areas. As of July 2024, a total of 2,889 outdoor non-smoking places have been announced. It is anticipated that a healthy and refreshing living environment can be established through the collaborative efforts of the city government’s bureaus and offices.
Both conventional cigarettes and emerging tobacco products are harmful to the human body and pose second- and third-hand smoke risks. The Department of Health would like to encourage individuals who have yet to quit smoking to seek help with smoking cessation and addiction as soon as possible by calling the toll-free smoking cessation consultation hotline at 0800-636363 or visiting the Department of Health, Taoyuan’s non-smoking website (https://nosmoking.tycg.gov.tw/). On this website, you can search for contract medical institutions in Taoyuan City that provide second-generation smoking cessation services, as well as other resources. Furthermore, for those with a permanent address in Taoyuan City, who are over the age of 40 and have a history of heavy smoking, the city offers free lung cancer screening with low-dose CT (LDCT). To apply for a lung cancer screening appointment, visit the Department of Health’s platform at https://health.tycg.gov.tw/tyhpPublic. For more information on lung cancer screening, please visit the Department of Health, Taoyuan’s homepage (https://dph.tycg.gov.tw) or contact the Department of Health’s extended lung cancer screening consultation service hotline at 03-334-0345.