BACKGROUND: In order to protect youth from tobacco, the China Minors' Protection Act banned cigarette and e-cigarette retail points around schools. Beijing has legislation banning cigarette retail points within 100 meters of schools. This study examined the distribution of cigarette retail points in Beijing and explored its association with student smoking behaviors, highlighting the suggestion for a specific distance.
METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including 7,847 secondary students from 60 schools across 10 districts of Beijing. From July to August 2024, we surveyed the distribution of cigarette retail points within 100m, 200m, and 500m distances to the gates of these schools. The distribution of cigarette retail points was described separately, using straight-line distance and walking distance. The Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between the number of cigarette retail points and the student smoking behavior.
RESULTS: A total of 60 schools were surveyed. In terms of straight-line distance, the proportion of schools that have cigarette retail points within 100m, 200m, and 500m around the school gate was 21.7%, 61.7%, and 96.7%, respectively. In terms of walking distance, the proportion was 16.7%, 41.7%, and 86.7%, respectively. The number of cigarette retail points within 200m (both straight-line and walking distance) were positively associated with increased odds of ever smoking (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.06; OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.14) and current smoking (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.06; OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.24).
CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening the enforcement of current legislation is necessary. If the cigarette retail points could be banned within 200 meters of the school gate, it might be more effective to protect youth from smoking.