Jian Kang Elementary School in Taipei, a school without walls as it advocated school and community as one entity, the students of this school recently suffered from second-hand smoke harms, as kindergarten and first-year pupils on the first floor were affected the most.
Taipei city councilor suggested the school to designate “non-smoking boundary line” right next to sidewalks, like Taipei City Hospital did. The city’s Department of Health indicated that, the school can submit formal application to designate non-smoking areas so that those who smoke in the non-smoking areas will be fined NT$2,000 (US$68) to NT$10,000 (US$339) according to Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act.
Taipei city councilor Hong-Wei Wang (王鴻薇) pointed out, Jian Kang Elementary School’s classrooms are right next to sidewalks, so second-hand smoke will flow into the classrooms as smokers smoke on the sidewalks. The school authorities have tried to ask smokers to refrain from smoking right next to classrooms, but were told to mind their own business. The parents were extremely worried about their children who were exposed to second-hand smoke every day.
Hong-Wei Wang said, there’re 14 elementary schools, 6 junior high schools and 4 senior high schools in Taiwan with school buildings as the boundary for schools, just like Jian Kang Elementary School. According to Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act’s regulations, these schools below senior high and places where children and youth had educational or physical activities must ban smoking completely. Wang asked these schools to designate “non-smoking boundary” around school buildings to protect students’ health.