Page 41 - 2023 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

03 An Environment Conducive to Health 03

MONITORING PROTECTING OFFERING
Long-term monitoring of Non-smoking and Provide various types of
smoking rates and tobacco-free smoking cessation
policies environment services

The MPOWER measures

WARNING ENFORCING RAISING
Tobacco container Prohibition of tobacco Tobacco taxes and the
health warning texts advertising, promotion Health and Welfare
and images and sponsorship Surcharge

2021, respectively. Within a short span of three Welfare and Environmental Committee on May
years, they have experienced rapid doubling, 23, 2022, with a total of 11 articles passed
indicating the growing threat of E-cigarettes to and 36 articles reserved for party negotiation.
the health of adolescents. In order to strengthen Subsequently, it has undergone three rounds
the protection of children and youth at various of party negotiations on October 28, 2022,
stages of development, the Ministry submitted a December 16, 2022, and December 29, 2022.
proposed amendment to the Tobacco Hazards Furthermore, local government health bureaus
Prevention Act to the Executive Yuan on October have tailored their actions to the specific
20, 2020. The key points of the amendment characteristics of their jurisdictions, taking into
include the addition of a definition for "imitation account factors such as the ventilation features
tobacco product" and a comprehensive ban or premises, the number of people entering
on the manufacturing, importation, sale, supply, and exiting, and the duration of stay. They have
display, advertising, and the use of E-cigarettes legally designated and announced tobacco-
and similar imitation tobacco products. It also free areas, with over 30,000 locations having
establishes a mechanism for strict regulation been announced as such. In 2022, the number
through health risk assessment review of new of inspection cases nationwide exceed 470,000
types of tobacco products that meet the definition with over 3.25 million individual inspections,
including 5,638 penalties amounting to more
of tobacco (such as heated tobacco products),
than NTD 21.94 million.
raising the legal age for tobacco use to 20 years,
prohibiting flavored tobacco products, expanding In order to align with international standards,
indoor and outdoor tobacco-free public places, Taiwan has already seen 215 hospitals join
increasing the size of health warning labels on the global network of tobacco-free healthcare
tobacco product containers, and imposing services, with 35 hospitals receiving prestigious
heavier penalties, among other strategies. The international awards. Taiwan has the highest
proposed amendment to the Tobacco Hazards number of award-winning hospitals among all
the countries in the global network.
Prevention Act was reviewed and approved by the
Executive Yuan on January 13, 2022. It was then (2) Providing Diverse Smoking Cessation Programs
submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation A. In order to assist more individuals in smoking
and completed the review process by the Social cessation, subsidies are provided for smoking

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