Message From Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative in China

Message From Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative in China

May 30, 2007

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY 31 MAY 2007

    BEIJING, May 30 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- World No Tobacco
Day 2007 is an urgent reminder that tobacco is a major
health challenge in China -- a country that has one third
of the world's smokers.

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51.jpg )

    The warning bells are ringing on China's tobacco
burden.

    Nearly 350 million people smoke in China. 50 percent of
those who do not smoke are exposed to harmful smoke from
other people's cigarettes.

    China is the world's biggest producer of tobacco with
one third of the world's tobacco leaf production and one
third of the world's cigarette manufacturing output. 
 
    Tobacco use in China is socially and economically
devastating.
    Smoking contributes heavily to China's burden of
disease, costing over $5 billion annually.

    The death toll from diseases associated with tobacco is
around one million Chinese annually, a figure that is
expected to increase to 2.2 million per year by 2020 if
smoking rates remain unchanged.

    Tobacco is a driving force in the rising epidemic of
chronic diseases in China, placing increasing pressure on
China's health system.

    The Chinese Government has declared itself ready to
take on the tobacco fight and has ratified the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control - the international WHO
treaty that aims to wage war against smoking and
tobacco-related illnesses. 

    Now China needs to implement comprehensive measures
that will change people's behaviour and lead to fewer
people smoking.

    Increasing tobacco taxes is a clear win-win situation
for China. Despite a fall in the number of people smoking,
higher taxes mean the Government's revenue will rise and
there will be a fall in smoking-related health costs,
diseases and deaths.

    Raising tobacco taxes needs to be complemented by other
measures that further reduce the demand for tobacco - such
as banning cigarette advertising strong warnings on the
labels of tobacco products, and moving towards smoke-free
environments. 

    Ultimately, China needs to enact national laws that set
the standard for tobacco control for the entire country and
are clear, strong and enforceable.

    The 2008 Olympics will be a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to in China's tobacco fight.  China has
committed to a smoke-free Olympics. Delivering on this will
send a powerful message and generate momentum for a
sustained long-term campaign.

    Fighting tobacco is not easy, especially when there is
a state monopoly on tobacco production.  There will always
be huge opposition to tobacco control in China.  Political
commitment is needed across every element of the Chinese
Government.

    WHO looks forward to supporting the Chinese government
in its ongoing tobacco fight.

    More information about World No Tobacco Day is
available at
http://www.who.int/tobacco/communications/events/wntd/2007/en
.


    For more information, please contact:

     Joanna Brent, 
     Communications Team Leader,
     WHO China
     Tel:    [phone] x681 
     Mobile: [phone]