Ximending, Zhongshan Commercial District Outdoor Smoking Rooms, Chiang Wan-an: To Be Activated in May
Taipei City Government is advancing plans to establish 19 outdoor smoking rooms and areas in Ximending and Zhongshan commercial districts to promote a smoke-free city. Mayor Chiang Wan-an announced today that the outdoor negative-pressure smoking rooms in Ximending and Zhongshan commercial districts will be activated in May.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 14:33
- 🔍 Collected: May 2, 2026 at 15:01 (28 min after Published)
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(Central News Agency Reporters Liu Chien-pang, Chen Yu-ting, Taipei 2nd) To promote a smoke-free city, the Taipei City Government plans to construct 19 outdoor smoking rooms and smoking areas, three of which are in the Ximending commercial district. Mayor Chiang Wan-an said today that the outdoor negative-pressure smoking rooms in Ximending and Zhongshan commercial districts will be activated in May.
Chiang Wan-an accompanied Taipei City Councilor Lee Po-yi of the KMT to distribute carnations at Jingmei Market this morning. Before the event, he was interviewed and asked about the city government's planned smoking rooms being activated, to which he responded as above.
Chiang Wan-an said that the planning of a smoke-free city hopes to allow non-smokers to avoid the troubles of second-hand and third-hand smoke, and to allow smokers to go to designated areas to achieve effective diversion. The city government has planned smoke-free New Year's Street and Lantern Festival activities since last year. Now, two crowded commercial districts, Ximending and Zhongshan commercial district, have been selected, and outdoor negative-pressure smoking rooms will be activated in May.
He stated that in the future, open smoking areas will also be planned along horizontal and vertical routes such as Xinyi Road and Dunhua North and South Roads, gradually expanding the smoke-free scope, hoping to achieve the vision of a smoke-free city.
In addition, Yin Wei, chairman of the Taipei City Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, stated on Facebook that three negative-pressure smoking rooms have been set up in the Ximending commercial district, and the Department of Health has announced that from June 1st, smoking will be prohibited in Ximending outside of smoking areas, making it Taipei City's first permanently smoke-free commercial district.
Yin Wei mentioned that this policy faces four criticisms, including that the smoking rooms are not open 24 hours, are too far, too small, and change policies frequently. He explained that in many advanced countries and cities, including Japan, smoking rooms have limited operating hours due to safety, appearance, and maintenance management considerations.
Regarding the smoking rooms being too far and too small, he said that according to actual measurements, walking to each smoking room within the commercial district takes about 3 to 5 minutes, and the smoking room in front of Exit 4 of MRT Ximen Station can accommodate at least 10 people at a time. If it is still too small, he asks the public to be understanding and queue up, and subsequent improvements will be observed.
Regarding the criticism of frequent policy changes, Yin Wei said that a smoke-free city cannot be achieved in one step. Currently, the area surrounded by Zhonghua Road Section 1, Xining South Road, Chengdu Road, and Hankou Street Section 2 will be designated as a smoke-free zone, and the next wave of announced areas will be planned simultaneously, continuously promoting and implementing it to ultimately achieve the vision of a smoke-free city, which should be "adding orders to orders." (Editor: Long Bai-an) 1150502
Chiang Wan-an accompanied Taipei City Councilor Lee Po-yi of the KMT to distribute carnations at Jingmei Market this morning. Before the event, he was interviewed and asked about the city government's planned smoking rooms being activated, to which he responded as above.
Chiang Wan-an said that the planning of a smoke-free city hopes to allow non-smokers to avoid the troubles of second-hand and third-hand smoke, and to allow smokers to go to designated areas to achieve effective diversion. The city government has planned smoke-free New Year's Street and Lantern Festival activities since last year. Now, two crowded commercial districts, Ximending and Zhongshan commercial district, have been selected, and outdoor negative-pressure smoking rooms will be activated in May.
He stated that in the future, open smoking areas will also be planned along horizontal and vertical routes such as Xinyi Road and Dunhua North and South Roads, gradually expanding the smoke-free scope, hoping to achieve the vision of a smoke-free city.
In addition, Yin Wei, chairman of the Taipei City Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, stated on Facebook that three negative-pressure smoking rooms have been set up in the Ximending commercial district, and the Department of Health has announced that from June 1st, smoking will be prohibited in Ximending outside of smoking areas, making it Taipei City's first permanently smoke-free commercial district.
Yin Wei mentioned that this policy faces four criticisms, including that the smoking rooms are not open 24 hours, are too far, too small, and change policies frequently. He explained that in many advanced countries and cities, including Japan, smoking rooms have limited operating hours due to safety, appearance, and maintenance management considerations.
Regarding the smoking rooms being too far and too small, he said that according to actual measurements, walking to each smoking room within the commercial district takes about 3 to 5 minutes, and the smoking room in front of Exit 4 of MRT Ximen Station can accommodate at least 10 people at a time. If it is still too small, he asks the public to be understanding and queue up, and subsequent improvements will be observed.
Regarding the criticism of frequent policy changes, Yin Wei said that a smoke-free city cannot be achieved in one step. Currently, the area surrounded by Zhonghua Road Section 1, Xining South Road, Chengdu Road, and Hankou Street Section 2 will be designated as a smoke-free zone, and the next wave of announced areas will be planned simultaneously, continuously promoting and implementing it to ultimately achieve the vision of a smoke-free city, which should be "adding orders to orders." (Editor: Long Bai-an) 1150502