BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: In 2014, Beijing People's Congress adopted the Beijing Tobacco Control Regulation which bans smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces and on public transportations, in order to protect 21 million residents away from second-hand smoke and smoking-related diseases. However, with only 1100 enforcement officers in Beijing, how to ensure effective implementation of the regulation is key challenge. Additionally, the regulation stated 'tobacco control work in Beijing is based on social co-governance model' and called on whole society to take part in its implementation. Therefore, digital information system enabled comprehensive tobacco control violations information collection, handling, data visualization and mapping was needed.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: Beijing Tobacco Control Association developed a digital system 'Complaint Map', in which every resident can report violations of the smoke-free provisions through social media platform at any time and any place, and the Complaint Map visually displays all reported violations in real time. It is further used by tobacco control volunteers, who are recruited and trained to address complaints and promote compliance. The government's enforcement team also used it for targeted inspections.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: From Jan 2016 to Oct 2024, the Complaint Map received 108,772 reported violations from all 16 districts in Beijing. The most frequently reported places were restaurants(33.5%), office buildings(22.2%) and working offices(14.7%). 61% of reports were due to smoking in indoor places. 47.1% reports have been effectively handled by volunteers and law enforcement officers. The Complaint Map has effectively engaged the public and promoted a smoke-free Beijing.
CONCLUSIONS: Beijing's innovative and systematic approach that involves the Complaint Map, volunteer management, coordination with the enforcement team, and media exposure are an effective and feasible practice of tobacco control social co-governance model. These digital solutions can be replicated or adapted in other cities in China and abroad that are implementing smoke-free laws or tobacco control laws in general.