- Title: CHINA: WHO calls for tougher government action on tobacco control
- Date: 9th July 2014
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JULY 9, 2014) (REUTERS) WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) DIRECTOR-GENERAL DR. MARGARET CHAN WALKING IN WITH HOST OF BRIEFING WHO LOGO (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DIRECTOR-GENERAL MARGARET CHAN SAYING: "Because every government world-wide including China needs to balance the income and the expenditure. Oftentimes, tobacco companies and specially the big tobacco (companies), they put a lot of pressure on governments and also to say that any tobacco control measures would affect the country's economy, affect the income of farmers. Of course those were their arguments, WHO do not support those arguments. We would encourage countries to take the most robust action in controlling tobacco." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DIRECTOR-GENERAL MARGARET CHAN SAYING: "And I would encourage governments to do their economic analysis properly. The devastation caused by tobacco smoking outweighs any revenue that you can, you know, imagine. So it is false economics for the tobacco companies to argue that, you know, it's going to hurt the economy of the country." MEDIA FILMING BRIEFING IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 24th July 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: International Relations,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVADVYV02VD4MW1TCMM8JVUE3I7Y
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- Story Text: The Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO) Margaret Chan, on a visit to Beijing, called for tougher government action from all countries on tobacco control.
As the world's largest consumer of cigarettes, China is home to more than 300 million smokers, with more than 50 percent of men indulging in the habit.
But awareness of the health effects is low, with the WHO estimating that only a quarter of adults have a comprehensive understanding of the health implications of smoking.
By some estimates, however, the tobacco monopoly has contributed as much as 10 percent of total tax revenue for China's central government.
"Because every government world-wide including China needs to balance the income and the expenditure. Oftentimes, tobacco companies and specially the big tobacco (companies), they put a lot of pressure on governments and also to say that any tobacco control measures would affect the country's economy, affect the income of farmers. Of course those were their arguments, WHO do not support those arguments. We would encourage countries to take the most robust action in controlling tobacco," Chan said at a briefing in Beijing.
She also spoke out against arguments for less tobacco control, saying they amounted to "false economics".
"And I would encourage governments to do their economic analysis properly. The devastation caused by tobacco smoking outweighs any revenue that you can, you know, imagine. So it is false economics for the tobacco companies to argue that, you know, it's going to hurt the economy of the country," she added.
Beijing pledged in 2008 to prohibit smoking in most public venues, including government offices, but 'no-smoking' signs are frequently ignored. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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