BEIJING: Stub it out for 90 days and prove it - that’s the challenge being put to smokers in China’s northeastern Jilin province, as the country expands anti-smoking efforts through outdoor restrictions, campaigns and volunteer patrols.

Launched on Sep 1, the province-wide competition offers participants one-on-one support from doctors, including psychological intervention and medical assistance, according to local authorities.

Participants must be at least 18 years old and have smoked for more than a year, according to Chinese media reports.

They will undergo an initial consultation and follow-up visits, culminating in an exhaled carbon monoxide test to verify whether they have quit.

Successful participants will receive an honorary certificate.

Registration runs until Sep 20, and there have been early signs of strong demand.

By the evening of the first day of registration on Sep 1, more than half of the participating clinics had run out of slots, local news outlet Jimu News reported, citing checks on the competition’s online registration portal.

STUBBING OUT A STUBBORN HABIT

Smoking remains a serious health concern in China. More than one million people in the country die from smoking-related diseases every year, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The country is seeking to further reduce smoking rates.

Released in July, Beijing’s national health plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) called for stronger smoking-cessation services and more smoke-free environments.

It also retains a longstanding target of reducing the smoking rate among people aged 15 and above to 20 per cent by 2030.

According to China’s latest Adult Tobacco Survey, conducted in 2024, 23.2 per cent of people aged 15 and above were s...