Tobacco Documents Online

fiainsoos Joint Declaration from Ministries of Health; Finance; Agriculture; and Light Industry, The Peoples' Republic of China, on "publically announcing the hannful effects of cigarette smoking arid regulatory measures for suuk- ing control". Nangning Ribao Septenber 1979 Peking The Ministry of Health, PRC, conducted a survey in two high schools in Peking. It was found that before the cultural revolution, students seldcro sroked; but now smoking is a camrnl phe.nomena as approximately 50% of the male students smoke. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the cigarette retail volune in 1965 was 4,646,000 cases, each case containing 10,000 units. This nwiber reached 11,492,000 cases in 1977, an increase of 1.5 times. These statistics indicate the popularity of cigarette usage in China. Cigarette smoking is harmful to health and the problem should be dealt with seriously; therefore, it is r:cessary to make it widely known that smoking is a health hazard and the smoking habit should be regulated. Tlv.s was the report which the Ministry of Hea1th, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Light Industry jointly presented to the State Council. Recently, the State Council announced the acceptance of this report. We should strengthen our propaganda, broaden our educational bases, and take necessary measures in order that the whole population might realize the dangers of smoking and stop, or never start smoking. These approaches are quite iaQortant in reducing the risks of stmkirg and promoting public health. , 'I11e report made the following 6 suggestions : 1. Recamxend to central, provincial, muni.cipal and local newspapers; science and popular bulletins; radio and television medi.a; Peoples' Libera- tion Army; Workers' Union; Womai*s Union; btr:d Camtmist Youth organizations, that they conduct a broad propaganda program to distribute to all levels of the population the scientific knowledge concerning the harmful effects of smoking on health. 2. Request (a) that the Ministry of Qilture's Nbvie Producing Department produce a scientific, educaticnal film within this year; (b) the provincial, nmmicipal, and regional information offices create posters, illustrations and slides; and (c) that the local publications and health bulletins provide information declaritkg smoking is dangerous to health and encourage people to stop snnking. 3. Produce less harmful tobacco throogh inodified tobacco production and select 1ow nicotine varieties. In cigarette manufacture, place enphasis on and increase the ratio of filter ci,t;arettes. Request that Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Light Industry, Cammerce, and Marketing Cooperatives jointly establish certain standards and methods for reducing harmful constit- uents in tobacco smke. These standards and methods will be put into action

-1 . -2- upon rpon authorization of the State Council. HKO132800c 4. To maintain clean air and to protect public health, request `NO SrUKIM' in public areas such as hospitalsp public meeting places, theaters, iirseries, buses, and other group activity areas with poor circulation. In eextain well-equiped public fareas, an isolated smnking area may be provided. 5. Recognizing the fact that youth, 3n the acti.ve growing and devel- oping stage, are mrost susceptible to the harmful effects of smoking, we request that the Ministry of Education conduct spee:ial information education cna the dangers of smoking, and as a rule, prohibit students in college, high school, and grade school fram smoking. 6. All health department clinics in each province, nunicipality, and region, should consider that "suioking is dangerous to health" educatiorial programs are an important long-range assigment, ai.nd carry out the mission to a successful " as described in items 4 and 5 above. ilpon the acceptance of this report by the State Council on July 23, the Ministries of Health, Finance, Agriculture, and Light Industry jointly announced the harmfiil effects of cigarette smokirig ardd their measures for regulating smokirig. It is expected that all levels df goverrment will widely distribute inEormation on the harmful effects of shokir9 and will take strong measures to reduce the risks involved. lkanslated by T. C. Tso, Septeml)er 27, 1979