13 million deaths avoidable in China by 2050 with smoking ban: report

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-03-03

Tourists smoking outside the Forbidden City in Beijing, Jan. 2. (Photo/CNS)

China can prevent 13 million smoking-related deaths by 2050 if the country fully implements policies recommended by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, according to a recently published piece of research.

The report, published Feb. 18 on the website of the BMJ Group, a subsidiary of the British Medical Association, was conducted by researchers working in China and Canada, who used a version of the SimSmoke Tobacco Control Policy model to come up with these conclusions.

Statistics from China's National Health and Family Planning Commission showed that the country was the world's largest tobacco producer and consumer, with over 300 million smokers, which is a third of the global smoking population.

Over 1 million Chinese die of smoking-related diseases and 100,000 of these are caused by passive smoking every year, according to government data.

The report estimates that if China increased cigarette taxes to 75% of package price, smoking prevalence could see a reduction of 13% by 2050, while smoke-free air laws and a well-enforced marketing ban could also yield immediate results.

China will see 50 million smoking related deaths between 2015 and 2050, if the government lets the current situation continue by doing nothing, the report projected.

Since China joined the convention in 2006, Caixin Online's business news webportal reports that the government has failed to carry out its promise to take active measures to reduce exposure to smoke in public areas by Jan. 9, 2011.

Besides a lack of national laws on tobacco control, local regulations banning smoking at public venues have been poorly enforced, Caixin stated.

Recent developments have shown the possible progress to be made by the government, however, the news website reported. National Health and Family Planning Commission spokesman Mao Qunan said on Jan. 7 that the government will make an effort to introduce a ban on smoking in public and indoor spaces this year.

The State Council also issued a notice on Dec. 29 last year including a ban on government leaders at all levels smoking in schools, hospitals, cultural and sports venues and on public transportation.

The ban also covered all official occasions, Caixin stated, and prohibits spending government funds on tobacco.''

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