Some 3,000
people die in China every day from smoking-related diseases. The WHO's country
representative Bernhard Schwartlaender tells DW how the tobacco epidemic is
likely to have a major impact on Chinese society.
Deutsche Welle, 25 Dec 2014
DW: Is
tobacco consumption in China leading to a public health crisis?
Bernhard
Schwartlaender: Tobacco use is a major public health problem in China. China is
the world's largest producer and consumer of tobacco products: there are more
than 300 million smokers in the country. Currently, about three out of every 10
adults in China (28 percent) smoke tobacco products, including more than half
of all adult men. Approximately one million deaths every year – or 3000 deaths
each day – are caused by tobacco smoking. In addition, over 700 million people
are routinely exposed to second-hand smoke, which kills approximately 100,000
people every year.
What impact
is the increased consumption of tobacco having on Chinese society?
The tobacco
epidemic in China will cause devastating costs for the health system, economy,
and China's society more broadly. If the prevalence of tobacco use in China is
not reduced, the number of tobacco-related deaths every year in China will
increase to three million by 2050.
 |
| Schwartlaender: 'China has taken some important steps forward on tobacco control in recent years' |
Which
members of Chinese society tend to consume the most and why? What are the
incentives?
Men have
very high smoking rate (more than 50 percent of men smoke) in China. While only
two percent of women smoke themselves, women have very high rates of exposure
to second-hand smoke - especially in homes and workplaces.
Geographically,
smoking rates tend to be highest in the economically less developed areas of
China, including in rural areas.
In China,
like elsewhere, most smokers start smoking when they are young. It is
critically important that we prevent children and teenagers from getting hooked
to tobacco use – through educating them about the harms of tobacco use, and
stopping tobacco companies from marketing. Protecting young people from taking
up smoking habits will likely protect them for life.
There is
nothing traditionally Chinese about smoking – as is the case in other
countries, high smoking rates in China are the result of lack of knowledge and
a tobacco industry which aggressively markets its products to the population in
order to increase its revenue and profits.
How far
away is China from implementing a national tobacco control law?
China has
taken some important steps forward on tobacco control in recent years. The
Joint Notice issued by the State Council and the Communist Party promoting
smoke-free policies late last year is one example, as well as the newly passed
Beijing Smoking law. The Beijing law is a 100 percent smoke-free law with no
loopholes and no exemptions. With this law coming into full effect by 15 June,
2015, Beijing has now set the standard for a strong set of tobacco control
policies at national level and other cities – in China and elsewhere.
The
National Health and Planning Commission has recently put to the State Council
approval a draft on national regulations on smoking in public places. These
regulations include a broad package of tobacco control measures, which are
consistent with the requirements of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control (WHO FCTC) – the global tobacco treaty which China ratified in 2005. If
adopted, these regulations will represent unprecedented progress towards China
meeting its obligations under the WHO FCTC.
What is the
current draft bill set to regulate, and will this be sufficient to curb
consumption and prevent the many tobacco-related deaths in the country?
The draft
regulations include a broad package of tobacco control measures. The policies
included in the draft will reduce smoking rates in China, and if fully enacted,
will make an enormous contribution to addressing the growing epidemic of
non-communicable disease (NCDs) in China and its massive health, economic and
social costs.
 |
| Schwartlaender: 'There is nothing traditionally Chinese about smoking – as is the case in other countries' |
To best
curb consumption and prevent the tobacco-related deaths in China, China needs
to fully implement its commitment under the WHO FCTC. In addition to the
policies covered under the draft regulations, this may include additional
measures such as raising tobacco taxes. Currently, cigarettes are very cheap
and a pack of cigarettes may only cost as much as a bottle of drinking water in
your neighborhood store.
What is
your advice to Chinese authorities as to how to effectively tackle this crisis?
WHO's
advice to the State Council Legislative Affairs Office regarding the draft
regulation is clear: if the draft is adopted in full and without delay, the
public health benefits for China will be substantial. Any attempts from groups
with vested interests to weaken or dilute the key provisions of the draft
regulations should be resisted. This law, if adopted in full, will save many
millions of lives and enormous cost for individuals, families and the overall
economy.
Dr. Bernhard
Schwartlaender is the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in
China.
Related Article:
No comments:
Post a Comment