In his office, Zhang Yu is your typical Shanghai finance worker — outside of it, he’s a fervent anti-smoking influencer who’s drawn both praise and pushback for shaming strangers into stubbing out their cigarettes.

In dozens of social media videos, Zhang is shown politely but firmly confronting smokers who openly flout Shanghai’s ban on smoking indoors at shopping malls, apartment blocks, hospitals, and in other public spaces, urging them to “put it out or get out.”

“Smoking is a very personal matter, but when it affects others, it becomes a very ugly thing,” he told Sixth Tone, adding that most of his encounters go smoothly, although he has on occasion felt compelled to call the police on those who refuse to stop smoking when asked.

He said that 99% of the feedback he receives on the lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, is overwhelmingly positive, with users sharing in private messages how they have been inspired to take similar action, and encouraging him to “keep up the good work.”

In March, Zhang’s efforts were further empowered when Shanghai rolled out a pilot initiative to stop people smoking while walking in outdoor areas, with eight landmarks selected as demonstration zones. Members of the public can report violations by calling the 12345 government service hotline. Individual offenders face fines of up to 200 yuan ($28), while venues can be fined up to 30,000 yuan.

Zhang called the measure “positive and proactive,” adding that it “gives us official grounds to remind people that smoking while walking is not permitted in Shanghai. We now have that authority to back us up.”

As a pioneer in tobacco control in China, Shanghai became the first city to introduce local regulations on smoking in public places in 2010. Data from the city’s health authority shows that the adult smoking rate fell from nearly 27% in 2010 to 18.6% in 2024.

Last year, a survey of more than 10,000 Shanghai residents about smoking while walking found that nearly 60% of them had frequently encountered such behavior, and that more than 90% disapproved of it.

Since the launch of the pilot initiative, a citizen-led anti-smoking movement has been gaining momentum. Like Zhang, more residents are now actively discouraging smoking in public, even changing their social media names and images to show support for the policy, while also sharing strategies for persuading smokers to comply.

“We’re not asking smokers to quit for good, but we do believe that the freedom to smoke should not come at the expense of other people’s right to avoid secondhand smoke,” said Xu Lihong, a self-proclaimed “tobacco control ambassador” with more than 5,600 followers on Xiaohongshu.

The 26-year-old health care worker from Chengdu, capital of the southwestern Sichuan province, suggests establishing clearly designated smoking zones as well as smoke-free areas, with strict enforcement to ensure compliance.

At the hospital, in her uniform, Xu can call out violations in no-smoking zones with direct authority. But out on the street, she has to use more subtle tactics. She has noticed that when “no smoking” signs are clearly visible, people are far more likely to respond positively to her reminders.

Xu has reported several offences using the 12345 hotline, but she feels that “the penalties are too weak, making them ineffective.” Similarly, Zhang had to file over a dozen complaints before his neighbor was finally compelled to stop smoking in their shared hallway.

Butt of the joke

The shifting attitude against smoking is also reflected in popular culture. Recently, several standup comedians have incorporated “anti-smoking persuasion” into their routines, striking a chord with audiences nationwide.

And with the jokes have come cold, hard facts. In June, the Shenzhen Health Commission in the southern Guangdong province released an article titled “Secondhand smoke is a form of bullying,” which directly challenged the common justification among smokers that they are “contributing to the national coffers.” It highlights that in 2020, the total economic cost of smoking in China, including medical expenses and lost productivity, amounted to 2.43 trillion yuan — far more than the 1.52 trillion yuan in tax revenue generated by the tobacco industry.

According to the World Health Organization, smoked tobacco contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including at least 250 that are toxic or carcinogenic, while secondhand smoke is responsible for 22,000 deaths a day worldwide.

As of last May, 24 provincial regions in China have introduced local regulations to tackle smoking. The national Healthy China 2030 initiative also aims to reduce the smoking rate among people aged 15 and over to 20% by 2030 — this rate was 23.2% in 2024.

A British expat in Shanghai who goes by the name “Alan” to protect his privacy has gained 180,000 followers on Xiaohongshu and generated 4 million likes for his efforts to confront rule-breaking smokers.

In recent months, he made headlines when an on-camera incident involving two men at a Shanghai restaurant turned nasty, with the use of offensive remarks and the threat of assault. Alan reported the matter to the police, and both men were later fined.

“The smoke was right there, next to my food, so I turned and told him in Chinese, very calmly, ‘Go outside and smoke,’” he told Sixth Tone.

Alan’s videos have resonated with younger audiences, who often thank him for speaking up in the comments. Still, he acknowledges the risks involved. “I put myself in danger every day,” he said. “But change doesn’t come easy. If we don’t act today, nothing changes tomorrow.”

Inspired by such activism, 22-year-old He Zhijie from Guangdong has started posting his own anti-smoking appeals online. He has detested smoking since childhood, but always felt powerless to protect himself. Even as an adult, working as an actor, he often had to silently endure heavy secondhand smoke on set from stressed crew members.

However, his mindset began to change after a visit to South Korea, where he saw designated smoking zones, and learning about Japan’s tobacco-control policies. To him, secondhand smoke is not just rude — it’s a “slow death” that violates the rights of others.

Now, he regularly approaches smokers in public. He finds that most of his interactions are good-natured, though he acknowledges his 1.86-meter stature may play a role in that.

However, for 18-year-old university student Zhang Ruicong (no relation to Zhang Yu) in the eastern Zhejiang province, things have proven much harder: She was recently verbally abused after asking someone to stop smoking on a train station escalator, while several men at a restaurant continued to puff away on cigarettes next to children despite repeated reminders.

“Many people see smoking as normal for men, or fear causing trouble by speaking up,” she said, highlighting China’s deep-rooted social attitudes toward the habit. She added that even her mother considers her stance “extreme.”

In her view, smoking in enclosed public spaces stems from not only a lack of civility but also insufficient legislation. “Smokers know they’re affecting others — they just prioritize their own desires,” she said.

Yet, Zhang Ruicong still believes that young people can drive change on the issue, citing her university’s “smoke-free campus” campaign, which emphasized that “students are catalysts for social progress.”

Despite occasional misunderstandings and negative reactions, health care worker Xu is unwavering in her commitment, and has built a network with other anti-smoking advocates to share experiences and offer support. “My hope is for a future where all public spaces are free of secondhand smoke,” she said.

Additional reporting: Feng Jingyi; editor: Hao Qibao

(Header image: VCG)