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. 2024 May 31;6(22):509-515.
doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2024.098.

Cigarette Use and Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Secondary School Students - China, 2023

Xinying Zeng  1 , Shiwei Liu  1 , Lin Xiao  1
Affiliations

Cigarette Use and Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Secondary School Students - China, 2023

Xinying Zeng et al. China CDC Wkly. .

Abstract

What is already known about this topic?: In 2021, the prevalence of experimental and current cigarette use among secondary school students in China stood at 16.7% and 4.7%, respectively. Additionally, 39.9% of these students were exposed to secondhand smoke at school.

What is added by this report?: In comparison to 2021, the prevalence of current cigarette use remained unchanged at 4.2% in 2023, whereas experimental use declined to 13.7%. Notably, rates were significantly higher among vocational senior high school (VSHS) students relative to their peers in senior high school (SHS) and junior high school (JHS). Furthermore, exposure to secondhand smoke in schools decreased to 35.4% in 2023 from previously recorded levels, with more pronounced reductions observed in JHS and SHS populations and no notable change among VSHS students.

What are the implications for public health practice?: Targeted tobacco control policies are imperative for secondary school students, including the establishment of smoke-free school environments. Additionally, it is crucial to pay close attention to the needs of VSHS students.

Keywords: Cigarette Use; Secondary School Students; Secondhand Smoke Exposure.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Provincial disparities in the prevalence of current cigarette use among secondary school students in China by school type, 2023.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Provincial disparities in the prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure at schools among secondary school students in China by school type, 2023.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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