The rate of smoking people 15 years old and above in Shanghai is 19.9 percent, down 0.3 percentage points from 2017, according to a tobacco survey released Thursday.

It is the first time for the eastern Chinese city to see the figure under 20 percent, leading the country in tobacco control, the survey said.

Statistics show that adult smoking rate keeps declining, with male smoking rate down from 2017's 38.4 percent to 37.9 percent, while the female stayed at 0.8 percent.

The usage rate of e-cigarette is 1.3 percent, the survey said.

The rate of passive smoking among non-smokers also dropped to 46.7 percent from 50.6 percent in 2017. Respondents said they saw fewer smokers in health institutions, schools and homes, but more smokers in restaurants and universities.

Shanghai has banned smoking in indoor public spaces, workplaces and public transport since March 2017.

Wu Fan, deputy head of the municipal heath committee, said challenges still remained in various aspects, including tobacco control in entertainment venues and restaurants, enforcement of tobacco control regulations and increasing use of e-cigarette.