NHFPC Vice Minister Mme Cui Li,
Dr Huang Jiefu, President of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control and former Vice Minister;
Dr Wang Yu, Director General of China CDC,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
Thank you for inviting me to be here today at this event to mark World No Tobacco Day.
As you all know, tobacco use is one of China’s biggest killers. More than 1 million Chinese people die from a tobacco-related illness every year. With more than 300 million smokers in the country, it is sobering to think that the annual death toll from tobacco will increase to 3 million by 2050 if smoking rates are not reduced.
The theme for this year’s World No Tobacco Day is: ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires a comprehensive ban of all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
This is because the evidence from around the world shows that comprehensive marketing bans lead to fewer people starting and continuing to smoke.
Advertising and promotion of tobacco helps to create an environment where smoking is seen as socially acceptable, or ‘normal’.
As a result, tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship foster an illusion that tobacco is just like any other consumer product.
But the reality is that tobacco is a lethal product: when used as intended by the manufacturers, tobacco kills up to half of its regular users.
Banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is one of the most cost-effective measures governments can take to reduce demand for tobacco products, and in doing so, protect the health of their populations.
In China, some important steps have been taken to strengthen restrictions on tobacco marketing in recent years:
- the Advertising Law bans tobacco advertising in the mass media, including through radio, movies, TV, newspapers and magazines;
- in February 2011, the State Administration of Radio, Film and TV announced strict controls on the portrayal of smoking in movies and TV serials; and
- in December 2012, the Government of China issued the China National Tobacco Control Plan 2012-2015, which includes a strong commitment to strengthening existing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
We welcome the steps China has taken to strengthen restrictions on tobacco marketing to date.
However, further strong policy action is required to clamp down on tobacco marketing in China.
This is especially important to protect China’s young people from the hazards of a lifetime of addiction to tobacco use.
Data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in China in 2010 shows that despite China’s bans and controls, nearly 30% of young people aged 15-24 years reported noticing tobacco advertising, promotions or sponsorships in the 30 days prior to the survey.
Other studies have also shown very high levels of exposure to indirect promotion of cigarette smoking through the entertainment media in China.
This is of serious concern when we know that even brief exposure to tobacco marketing can influence adolescents.
Banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is therefore especially important for protecting young people from the harms of tobacco.
I congratulate China CDC on the report they have produced and released today, highlighting the importance of further strong policy action in this area to protect China’s public from tobacco marketing.
We look forward to continuing to work with China CDC, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and other partners to further reform this area.
And on this note, I am delighted to announce today that WHO is this year recognising one of our foremost partners in China’s tobacco control efforts, Dr Huang Jiefu, with a WHO World No Tobacco Day Award.
As all of you know, in both his role as President of the Chinese Association for Tobacco Control, and his former capacity as Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Health, Dr Huang has been a leading voice for stronger tobacco control measures in China.
I congratulate Dr Huang on his award, and hope that it serves as encouragement for other advocates for stronger tobacco control policies in China.
Thank you again for inviting me to speak today. WHO looks forward to continuing to work with all of you to achieve change on this important issue for the future of China. And may I wish you a happy – and smoke-free – World No Tobacco Day!