Taipei today introduced its first five negative-pressure smoking rooms, with Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) calling the initiative an important milestone in the local government's wider efforts to promote a smoke-free city.
Three of the five smoking rooms are in the Ximending (西門町) shopping area, while the other two are in Xinzhongshan Linear Park (心中山線形公園) and Xingyi bus parking lot near Taipei Main Station.
The progress "cannot stop" now, Chiang said during an inspection tour in Ximending, urging the public to give feedback on the initiative so that the government can make adjustments.
Photo: CNA
Taipei residents strongly support the smoke-free measures, with the majority backing the establishment of outdoor smoking rooms in public spaces, Chiang said, citing a recent poll conducted by the city's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission.
As part of the city's broader smoke-free initiative, more than 100 outdoor smoking areas were also designated across Taipei today, including at public parking lots and administrative centers.
The city now has 183 designated smoking areas, which can be identified using the TaipeiPASS app, Taipei Department of Health Commissioner Huang Chien-hua (黃建華) said.
On June 1, the vibrant shopping area of Ximending in Wanhua District (萬華) would be designated as a smoke-free zone, Huang said.
The city government would conduct inspections in Ximending, as well as in Xinzhongshan Linear Park, which is already a smoke-free zone, he said.
Under the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防制法), those who smoke in a designated non-smoking face a fine of NT$2,000 to NT$10,000.
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