TFBoys Wang Yuan, one of China's most influential boy band members, was caught smoking with ease at a restaurant in Beijing on May 21, which overthrew his "good boy" image, according to media reports. The 18-year-old teenage heartthrob faced punishment for smoking in a public venue, and he also apologized publicly after being criticized badly on social media. 

Despite his apology, the case still raises social concerns over smoking among younger generations. There are over 300 million smokers in China, almost one-third of the world's total, according to the latest statistics released by the World Health Organization. Many Chinese smokers also start smoking young. The smoking rate among China's adolescents was around 6.9 percent in 2018, according to a report by chinanews.com in May 2018.

Even though Chinese parents, schools and media have been strongly advocating the awareness of the health hazards of smoking, why would some post-95 Chinese youngsters smoke? Are they stressed out and do they feel guilty about smoking? Most importantly, have they tried to quit? 

The Global Times interviewed some post-95 smokers to gain an insight into their opinions of smoking and their attitude toward the idol's smoking case.

Life pressure

Shen Zhihui, a 23-year-old male who resides in Shanghai, has been smoking for over one year. He told the Global Times that he tried smoking for the first time at the age of 21, because he was in a bad mood. 

"At that time I was struggling between taking postgraduate entrance exams and seeking a job after graduation. I also worried a lot about my future job and how my life will go on after graduation," Shen said. 

He added no one persuaded him or taught him to smoke. "I started by myself. Actually, some people around me had persuaded me not to do it," Shen added. 

Likewise, 20-year-old male undergraduate Yang Tianyu has been smoking for two and a half years. "I started smoking at 17, around three months before the college entrance examination. I was under huge pressure to improve my scores, so I smoked to relieve my stress," Yang told the Global Times.

But Yang added he tried 10 times before becoming a regular smoker. "A few of my schoolmates are regular smokers, and I used to smoke with them on the stairs. But they did not persuade me. In fact, I joined them voluntarily," he said. 

Another male interviewee, 21-year-old Li Yingji, told the Global Times that he started smoking around three years ago. While the other two interviewees smoked due to the stresses of student life, Li smoked after breaking up with his girlfriend. "I was really heartbroken, so I started smoking with friends," he said.

According to a report by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Public Health in 2019, depression is the main cause of smoking among adolescents in Shanghai. The report shows among 10,557 adolescents interviewed, depressed adolescents are 1.56 times more likely to become habitual smokers than those without depression. Also, female adolescents with depression are more likely to smoke than their male counterparts, the report reveals.  

Li also explained how he grew from a beginner smoker to an experienced one. "At first, I didn't feel at ease when I smoked, and I tended to hide in a secret place to do it. But gradually I met other smokers when I was purchasing cigarettes around school. Naturally we would smoke together," he added.

Xu Hong (pseudonym), a female interviewee in her early 20s, said she only smokes in clubs or on social occasions with her peers. 

"I first tried cigarettes when I was about 21 in a night club. My female pals and I were curious about smoking, so we bought a package of female cigarettes and we tried together," Xu told the Global Times. She added she enjoyed fruit-flavored cigarettes, but now she rarely smokes. 

Low percentage

According to the interviewees, not many young people are habitual smokers. "Less than 10 percent of my schoolmates are smoking," Shen said. "If any of my friends want to start smoking, I would definitely stop him or her." 

Likewise, Yang said only around 10 percent of his peers smoke. Xu also said few of her female friends are habitual smokers. "Most of my peers are in relatively good universities. But I found young girls with lower educational background are more likely to smoke," she added.

All the interviewees said they fully understand the harms of smoking. "Every smoker knows the health hazards of smoking, but the dangerous consequences of smoking also make smoking more exciting," Yang said, adding he would quit if he felt discomfort in his lungs or throat. 

Li also pointed out that smoking caused him stress. "When I had physical checks in high school, I was afraid that doctors would find I was smoking or something may go wrong inside my body. But now I am less worried about my health, as I am not a heavy smoker," he added.

Though all the interviewees are well informed of the disadvantages of smoking, not every one of them wants to quit the habit. Yang, for example, said he doesn't necessarily fell like he wants to quit smoking at this stage, but he said, "I would quit when my future wife is pregnant."

Shen echoed similar sentiment. "I am forcing myself to quit smoking, but it's not easy. If my future partners hate me smoking, I might consider quitting the habit," he said.

The interviewees also shared the benefits that smoking has brought to them. Li, for instance, said smoking has enlarged his social circle. "In China, smoking is a good way to make new friends. When men gather together to smoke, they share cigarettes, and become talkative."

Some interviewees noted that smoking can calm them down when they are upset. For example, both Yang and Shen said that when they are in a bad mood, having several cigarettes tends to quickly help them overcome their bad mood.

Not surprised

Most interviewees said they didn't feel surprised or upset seeing the 18-year-old idol smoking, but they added that since Wang is an influential idol among young people, he has to take more social responsibility and think about the consequences of his behavior in public. 

"Though the idol is young, he is already an adult. Since smoking is not illegal, he has the right to smoke," Yang told the Global Times. "The reason why he is badly criticized for smoking is that Wang debuted as a positive teen talent, and his smoking behavior overthrew his public image."

Li also said Wang Yuan's case is normal, as many of his peers would smoke at Wang's age. "But Wang is a public figure and also an anti-drug ambassador, so his behavior has a negative social influence," Li added.

A man, who is part of an increasing number of young Chinese smokers, smokes a cigarette outdoors. Photo: VCG