The World Health Organization is taking its #RUFREE tobacco control campaign today to Beijing’s subway network, to promote Beijing's new smoke-free law which will come into effect on 1 June.
WHO launched #RUFREE? – meaning 'Are you smoke-free? And do you support smoke-free environments?' – last month on Weibo. The campaign includes posters featuring several high profile Chinese celebrities voicing their support for stronger tobacco control policies.
WHO is partnering with Beijing MTR Corporation to have the campaign posters displayed on all Beijing subway Line 4 trains for the next 8 weeks.
“Every day, tens of millions of people travel on Beijing’s subway network – 1.6 million people on Line 4 alone. We are delighted that, every day for the next 8 weeks, those commuters will be seeing the #RUFREE campaign, in support of Beijing’s new smoke-free law,” said Dr Bernhard Schwartländer, WHO Representative in China.
“All of us have a role to play in supporting the enforcement of the Beijing smoke-free law. We are very pleased to have Beijing MTR Corporation as our partners in this work,”.
“The new Beijing smoke-free law is a huge step forward for the health of the people of Beijing - protecting Beijing’s more than 20 million residents from the hazards of exposure to toxic second-hand smoke,” said Dr Schwartländer.
From Monday, 1 June, all indoor public places – including restaurants, bars, hotels, and offices – in Beijing will be required by law to be 100% smoke-free. Some outdoor public places such as kindergartens, primary and middle schools, historical and cultural sites, and maternal and child health facilities will also be required to be 100% smoke-free. Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in Beijing will also be banned.
Note to editors
The #RUFREE campaign posters feature a number of Chinese celebrities voicing their support for stronger tobacco control policies:
- Mr Pan Shiyi, founder and Chairman of SOHO Corporation;
- Zhang Liangying, singer;
- Wang Yan, actress;
- Bao Chunlai, former world champion badminton player;
- Zhang Fengyi, actor;
- Ma Tianyu, actor and singer;
- James Chau, writer, broadcaster, and UN Goodwill Ambassador;
- Ren Quan, Actor;
- Ding Lei, Founder and CEO of Netease.
WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan and WHO Representative in China, Dr Bernhard Schwartländer are also featured in the campaign.
The posters have been disseminated via social media, and are being used by the Beijing and national governments in their publicity campaigns to promote smoke-free and tobacco control policies.
The campaign posters are available for download from the WHO China Office website:
For more information about the #RUFREE campaign, follow WHO on Weibo:
Or scan the campaign QR code:
About the World Health Organization
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
For more information please contact
Ms WU Linlin
WHO China Office
E-mail: wul@who.int
Office Tel: +86 10 6532 7191