China Tries to Quit Smoking
China, the world’s largest consumer of cigarettes, is having another crack at kicking the habit. The Chinese government has announced it will ban smoking in enclosed public venues from May.
Will new Chinese regulations be enough to stop the country’s 300 million smokers from lighting up in public places? “It’s a promising move, says Simon Chapman at the University of Sydney, Australia. He says experience in Australia, Canada and throughout Europe suggests an indoor ban on smoking reduces daily tobacco consumption by 20 per cent. ‘While people might smoke a little more before or after work, this does not make up for the smoking opportunities lost during their working day.’ But China’s past record on anti-smoking measures is patchy at best. In January it missed a deadline to restrict indoor smoking. …”
