A trend may be gaining momentum in the country that is home to a quarter of the world’s smokers, an estimated 350 million people. Until recently, shocking statistics have not been enough to move the government to action – and this is a country where six out of ten men are said to smoke, where smoking-related illnesses are blamed for a million deaths a year and where cigarette smoke contributes to visible air pollution.
That seems to be changing. This year’s National People’s Congress delegates found smoking banned in the Great Hall of the People. Prime Minister Li Peng was reportedly horrified by the clouds of smoke he observed at last year’s meeting. As the delegates are mostly male and most are smokers, it is assumed that many of the 3,000 attendees were unhappy with the new ruling. Nonetheless, this significant gesture has been followed up by a dramatic call for a ban on smoking on public transport and in indoor workplaces during the 2008 Summer Games.
Whether the ban will be effectively enforced is another question, but the decision is likely to be welcomed by the many people in and outside of China who are increasingly alarmed by a smoking rate that continues to climb, led by young people and women, who today represent the significant growth markets for the industry.
The Olympics are clearly felt to be important to China’s prestige and the Beijing city government is already working to ensure that taxi drivers and police and hotel workers will all be specially trained to interact with the visitors. The smoking bans suggest that host nation China is putting health and clean air on the agenda as well. While there are many questions about the particulars of the smoking bans and the potential to last beyond the two weeks of competition, this new measure is being announced with some fanfare by a Health Ministry that has declared: ‘Let a smokeless games provide a healthy competition, a healthy environment and a healthy lifestyle.’
Source: Guardian Unlimited, 30 May 2006