China releases its first national smoking control report

On the eve of May 31, the 20th World No-Tobacco Day, the Ministry of Health released its 2007 report regarding China's smoking control plans. The report stated that almost half of the Chinese population suffers from passive smoking, while only 35 percent of these victims are aware of the harm.

This is the first report China has ever issued concerning the control of smoking. It is also an example of the actions China is taking in realizing its role as a participant in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

The report estimates that China has as many as 350 million smokers, leading to 540 million people who breathe in second-hand smoke, and 100,000 of them die annually from the exposure. "100 percent Smoke-Free Environments" is the theme of 2007's World's No-Tobacco Day. The theme of China's 2007 Report on Smoking Control is "Create a Smoke-Free Environment and Enjoy a Healthy Life."

China has allocated from its central budget special funds to local governments to support smoking control programs in 2006 and 2007; it also piloted 48 intervention programs in urban and rural areas to promote tobacco-free communities, said Yang Gonghuan, Deputy Director of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, the Ministry of Health is working to revise health regulations to ensure the successful implementation and enforcement of smoking ban in public places.

By People's Daily Online