The following information about the Chinese community is provided on the basis of anecdotal feedback from the community and/or community surveys and questionnaires. 

Many Chinese speaking men risk early death and disease because they continue to smoke.

A Sydney study found 26% of Chinese men and 2% of Chinese women smoke. A study of cardiovascular risks in adult Chinese (in Melbourne) found a smoking prevalence rate of 27% for Chinese men. The Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996 found the prevalence estimates for smoking in the Chinese community are 11% for men and 3% for women.

In a Melbourne study of smokers, 31% of Chinese men and 14% of Chinese women who responded to the survey were smokers (not a random sample).

In China, 61% of men and 7% of women smoke.

There are cultural taboos on women smoking. For many Asian women smoking is associated with bad women – 'dirty business'. Many Asian women believe it is not respectful for a woman to smoke and consider women who smoke to be uneducated. However, smoking rates among Chinese women are increasing. Some Chinese women view smoking as a weight loss measure, and as a sign of sophistication and independence.

For young people, smoking is a sign of adulthood, maturity and being part of the group. If their father smokes, their children will often do the same, especially if they are boys.

Participants in a Chinese focus group felt that there had not been any change in smoking behaviour since migrating to Australia – this was due to continuing business and social pressures. In the Chinese community, there is a strong orientation towards self-employment and thus the individual can choose what he or she can or cannot do in their own work environment.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests that the Chinese community is sceptical about the health risks of smoking and that the risks of smoking are not serious enough to cause them to stop smoking. Many also feel that the health warnings on cigarette packets are 'meaningless' and do not relate to their lives. Chinese people will often cite long-lived relatives or friends they know who were/are smokers, as evidence that smoking is not damaging. They often cite Deng Xiaoping's longevity and his smoking habit.

A Victorian survey of the Chinese community revealed that overseas born Chinese men were less likely to give up smoking than men in the general Victorian population for the above reasons. Eighteen percent (18%) of Chinese smokers said that they thought cigarettes are safe and 13% of Chinese smokers said that they did not believe that cigarettes contain cancer-causing substances. Many overseas students take up smoking in Australia. Community feedback suggests this is because smoking appears sophisticated and a sign of adulthood and some students feel smoking helps relieve the pressure of study and being away from family and friends.

Many Chinese smokers are willing to quit but may be lacking in confidence to do so. Quitting is a matter of using your own willpower, 'When you want to stop you just stop; no need to think about it'. If the Chinese smoker finds that willpower does not work then they are likely to seek the help of their doctor as the next option.

The most frequently cited reason for smoking is to relieve stress, anxiety or worry. There is a Chinese proverb that if you smoke after a meal, you feel like a fairy. Chinese hosts also offer cigarettes to guests as a sign of hospitality and sincere friendship. Chinese smokers also associate smoking with positive images, such as sophistication and adulthood.

According to Dr Peter Wong, the Chairperson of the Chinese Migrant Welfare Association in Sydney, smoking is a very serious health issue in the Chinese community, particularly for more recently arrived Chinese migrants to Australia.

In his experience, Dr Wong says that smoking is less prevalent amongst Chinese people who have been settled in Australia for a longer period of time because they have been exposed to health education campaigns. Those more likely to be at risk are recent Chinese migrants who have not had the same exposure to information about the health risks associated with smoking.

'Of particular concern is passive smoking and the impact it has on the health of children and other members of a smoker's family,' Dr Wong said. 'The solution starts with the family unit. The Chinese are very family orientated and it is important for smokers to be aware of the danger to themselves and to their family, particularly children, Dr Wong said.

In China, citizens can smoke everywhere. Often the older Chinese people will refuse to stop smoking around others. Children are an important factor in influencing a male's smoking in the home. If however there are no children, it is difficult for the wife to voice her concerns. 'There is still a very strong attitude like if the men say – 'Oh, smoking is bad for me, so if I'm going to die, why do you need to live?' If the Chinese wife is more educated, she is more likely to voice her concern ('put her foot down').

Smoking in the Chinese community is a cultural tradition, strongly associated with social interaction such as weddings, banquets, social and business dinners/parties. 'As a mature person, you grow up, you know you just smoke, especially for those businessmen, when you go out talking about business without a cigarette you know, you can't exist'. It is socially acceptable. Sharing cigarettes with friends is common amongst the Chinese community.

Many people in the Chinese community are superstitious about discussing cancer. They do not want to know about it until they have got it. Care must be taken not to offend a Chinese audience when discussing diseases caused by smoking.