In 2019, 212,000 deaths due to smoking reported in Japan [1]. Smoking is strongly linked to mortality and various conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it is a modifiable risk factor—one that can be eliminated by quitting.

Smoking acutely elevates blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) [2], and habitual smoking is associated with the development of hypertension [3,4,5]. Additionally, smoking can attenuate the effect of medications in patients with hypertension and has been linked with masked hypertension [6, 7]. Both smoking and hypertension are also recognized as risk factors for severe COVID-19, a disease that emerged in late 2019 [8, 9].

In recent years, there has been a surge in the use of new tobacco products, which are not harmless. Studies indicate that they can cause respiratory, cardiac, and vascular damage, elevate BP and HR [10,11,12,13]; and increase the risk of severe COVID-19 [14, 15].

The Health Promotion Act has also been revised to combat the health hazards associated with secondhand smoke, emphasizing the need to prevent “unwanted passive smoking”. The updated legislation was fully implemented on April 1, 2020.

In light of these considerations, we, the members of the Japanese Society of Hypertension (JSH), declare our commitment to the following practices:

  1. 1.

    We, the members ourselves, pledge to abstain from all tobacco products*, including new tobacco products (mainly heated tobacco products and electronic non-nicotine/nicotine delivery system). * ”Tobacco products” hereafter.

  2. 2.

    We will actively encourage smokers to quit and pledge to offer full support and positive guidance. Additionally, we will also provide advice on diet, exercise, and nicotine replacement therapy to mitigate associated health issues, such as hypertension and diabetes, that may arise from weight gain during the process of smoking cessation.

  3. 3.

    We will encourage non-smokers to maintain smoke-free** lifestyle and take steps to avoid exposure to passive smoke. ** Tobacco product use prohibited

  4. 4.

    The grounds of the JSH conference venue will be designated as a smoke-free zone.

  5. 5.

    We will support and promote research on the health risks associated with tobacco products use and the benefits of quitting.

  6. 6.

    In cooperation with relevant academic societies and organizations, we will undertake initiatives to promote smoking cessation and foster a social environment free from passive smoking.

  7. 7.

    As in the past, we will not accept donations from tobacco companies or affiliated institutions. In addition, we will refrain from publishing articles in Hypertension Research submitted by individuals or organizations that receive support from tobacco companies.

Based on this declaration, we, the JSH members, will continue to promote smoking cessation and contribute towards hypertension prevention and management, and CVD prevention.

In preparation for this declaration, the results of a survey of JSH members conducted from September to December 2023 are attached as Supplement Data.