The World
Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that China needs a comprehensive ban
on tobacco advertising in order to reduce the number of smokers.
Bernhard
Schwartlander, WHO representative in China, made the comments in a statement
following a submission by the WHO to the Legislative Affairs Office of the
State Council, China's Cabinet, this week.
The office
had invited comments from the public on proposed changes to China's Advertising
Law.
Schwartlander
welcomed China's move to tighten restrictions on tobacco advertising.
"Banning all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is
one of the most cost-effective tobacco control measures any government can
take. Cutting demand for tobacco products has a direct and measurable impact on
public health," he explained.
"Comprehensive
bans on all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship are
therefore critical for protecting young people from a lifetime of addiction to
the hazards of tobacco use."
The move is
especially important in China, where more than half (52.7%) of smokers aged
20-34 years started smoking daily before the age of 20, according to the Global
Adult Tobacco Survey China 2010 Country Report.
In its submission,
the WHO highlighted the requirements of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control (WHO FCTC), which calls for a ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion
and sponsorship within five years of the treaty coming into force for each
party.
China
ratified the WHO FCTC in 2005, and the treaty came into legal force in China in
2006.
However,
there are currently only restrictions on some, but not all, tobacco advertising
in China. The proposed changes to the Advertising Law would strengthen the existing
restrictions, but advertising would still be allowed in some circumstances.
"This
means the proposed amendments do not meet the requirements of the WHO
FCTC," pointed out Schwartlander.
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