title: Problems with cigarette smoking and attitudes towards the ban of smoking in Shantou, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the extent of cigarette smoking, knowledge of health hazards and attitudes towards the ban of smoking in Shantou, China, as causes for failure to control smoking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Environmental monitoring and population survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Particulate matter (PM2.5) measurements were conducted in randomly selected public places (restaurants, non-alcoholic drink shops and internet bars) and exposure-related health hazards were evaluated. University students and adult citizens were randomly selected to determine their extent of cigarette smoking, knowledge of health hazards and attitude towards the ban of smoking in public places. The collected data were used to evaluate possible causes and solutions to the smoking problem.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From PM2.5 measurements, the average indoor to outdoor concentrations in non-smoking restaurants were 33.4 vs. 30.6 μg/m(3), P > 0.05; average indoor of smoking restaurants was 350.0% higher, P < 0.05; internet bars was 395.7% higher, P < 0.05; and non-alcoholic drink shops was 650.2% higher, P > 0.001. From our survey of 1100 university students: 1) 17.5% and 7.5% were active male and female smokers, respectively; and 2) 57.5% of students would accept a smoke-ban policy. From 502 adult citizens: 1) 27.5% were active male smokers; 2) Approximately 40 and 60% had inadequate knowledge of health hazards from smoking and second-hand smoke exposure; and 3) >90% of them would accept a smoke-ban policy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that failure to ban smoking was not caused by resistance from smokers but inadequate (national and local) government effort to educate the public and to enforce existing policy. The data suggest that development of a citizen-based approach, in collaboration with willing officials, may be highly successful in the control of cigarette smoking in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and MPH Education Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China. Electronic address: wau@stu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Au
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and MPH Education Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and MPH Education Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and MPH Education Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and MPH Education Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D061845:Smoke-Free Policy; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Cigarette smoking; Health hazards; PM2.5; Population survey; Second-hand exposure; Smoking prevention and intervention