Strict rules needed to curb smoking
David Hill
Wang Yuanyuan
CHINA should take stricter and more effective measures to control smoking in an effort to reduce lung cancer and deaths, president of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), Professor David Hill, said in an interview with the Shenzhen Daily on Wednesday. The country had 300 million smokers, the largest number in the world.
The number of lung cancer patients in China has risen significantly over the past few years and it was necessary for government to take action to control smoking, said Hill, who is in Shenzhen for the 2010 World Cancer Congress.
Tobacco caused 80 to 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths and about 30 percent of all cancer deaths in developing countries. But only 9 percent of countries mandate smoke-free bars and restaurants and 65 countries had not implemented any smoking control policies at a national level. “For a country as big as China, it is very important to implement stricter bans on smoking,” Hill said.
Taxes on tobacco should be increased. “Many developed countries have increased taxes on tobacco to reduce cigarette sales. In my country, Australia, half the price for a pack of cigarette is tax and it has been proved that high taxes on tobacco can help reduce tobacco use and smokers to quit smoking effectively because it’s very expensive to smoke,” Hill said.
Source： Shenzhen Daily Editor： 洪志科