How far is the tobacco control legislation process from the goal?
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"2020 China Tobacco Control Observation-Private Perspective" was released. The report shows that there are still three major problems in tobacco control.
First, cigarette production and sales continue to grow; second, tobacco advertising has never stopped; third, cigarette pack graphic warnings have never been seen.
The latest published results of the global burden of disease show that more than 1 million people die every year in China due to tobacco use or exposure to second-hand smoke.
Currently, the country has a "comprehensive smoke-free law" that protects nearly 12% of the population.
It means that there is still a certain gap between the process of tobacco control legislation and the goal in various places.
On March 31, the report "2020 China Tobacco Control Observation-Private Perspective", hosted by the Xintan Health Development Research Center and released in Beijing with the theme of "China Tobacco Control under the Epidemic", showed that various chronic diseases are more serious than the new coronary pneumonia. Non-communicable diseases, smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke are important causes of various chronic diseases. The latest global burden of disease results show that the number of deaths due to tobacco use or exposure to second-hand smoke in China exceeds 1 million every year.
Jiang Yuan, deputy director of the Xintan Health Development Research Center, introduced that in a hot pot restaurant in Chengdu, Sichuan, a woman and a friend stopped a male customer at a neighboring table from smoking, but they were splashed with water. This shows that smoking bans in public places are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. , But the hot pot restaurant staff did not discourage customers from smoking, which also reflected the embarrassing situation of tobacco control work.
At present, the proportion of the population protected by comprehensive smoke-free laws and regulations across the country is close to 12%.
According to the Tobacco Control Action in the "Healthy China Action (2019-2030)", by 2022, the proportion of the population covered by my country's smoke-free regulations will reach 30%, which means that there is still a certain gap between the process of tobacco control legislation and the target in various regions.
The proportion of the population protected by comprehensive smoke-free regulations is close to 12%
The population protected by comprehensive smoke-free legislation refers to the number of people who are protected by smoke-free legislation to avoid exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor public places, indoor workplaces, and public transportation.
In 2019, the State Council issued the "Healthy China Action (2019-2030)" to clearly implement tobacco control actions. By 2022 and 2030, the proportion of the population protected by comprehensive smoke-free laws will reach 30% and above and 80% and above, respectively.
Jiang Yuan introduced that the revised "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors" clearly prohibits laissez-faire or instigation of e-cigarettes for minors or the sale of e-cigarettes to minors for the first time in legal form.
From the definition of tobacco types to tobacco marketing behaviors to no-smoking places, minors are fully protected.
Looking back on 2020, the report shows that with the joint efforts of all parts of the country, various departments, and all sectors of society, China's tobacco control work situation is generally improving, the tobacco control mechanism is becoming more and more perfect, and the multi-sectoral coordinated advancement has achieved certain results in tobacco control.
The Basic Medical Hygiene and Health Promotion Law of the People’s Republic of China came into effect. Article 78 of the Law specifically stipulates that the state shall adopt a series of tobacco control measures to reduce the harm to citizens’ health caused by smoking; Clearly protect minors from the harm of tobacco; Actively carry out the Healthy China Action-Tobacco Control Action across the country, and create smoke-free party and government agencies, demonstrating China's responsibility for human health.
In recent years, my country’s local urban tobacco control legislation has achieved positive results, but the development of tobacco control in various regions is not balanced. Some of the tobacco control cities that have already legislated are accelerating and upgrading, and there are also laws and regulations that are not in place, and some cities have introduced regulations that do not clearly stipulate indoor public Places are completely smoke-free, and there are more cities that have not yet enacted legislation, especially some provincial capital cities and cities separately listed in the provincial plan.
At present, only more than 20 cities across the country have issued comprehensive smoke-free legislation (including government regulations), such as the "Beijing Regulations on Smoking Control", "Shanghai Municipal Smoking Control Regulations in Public Places", "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Regulations on Smoking Control", etc. The "Patriotic Health Regulations" promulgated by some provinces and cities clearly stipulate that "Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places, indoor workplaces and public transportation", and fines and other penalties are imposed on places and individuals for illegal smoking.
The proportion of the national population with comprehensive smoke-free laws protecting is close to 12%, which is far from the target of 30% of the population covered by my country's smoke-free laws in 2022.
Smoking rate decreased by 1.5% in 8 years
In Healthy China 2030’s tobacco control action, it is particularly emphasized that the party and government agencies should achieve the goal of being completely smoke-free by 2022. According to the deployment, provincial-level agencies across the country will be completely smoke-free in 2020, and prefecture-level agencies will be completely smoke-free in 2020. Eventually, the party and government agencies will be completely smoke-free by 2022, which will set an example for the whole society.
Guo Xiaoliang, deputy director of the Health Education Institute of the Hebei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that Qinhuangdao City took advantage of the opportunity of creating a national health city to simultaneously promote tobacco control into the work of creating health.
As of September 30, 2020, 5,096 public places and 1,920 medical institutions have been inspected, 11 public places and 113 individuals have been punished, and a fine of 12,650 yuan has been imposed.
The implementation of the "Qinhuangdao Smoking Control Measures" has provided experience for other small and medium-sized cities across the country with tobacco control legislation.
Zhangjiakou City took advantage of the favorable opportunity to co-host the 2022 Winter Olympics, Winter Paralympics and the creation of a national sanitary city with Beijing to implement the "Zhangjiakou City Smoking Control Regulations in Public Places" to include e-cigarettes in the scope of smoking bans, clarifying indoor public places, The requirement for a complete smoking ban in workplaces and public transportation includes the areas where the outdoor platforms and waiting teams of public transportation are located in non-smoking places.
Currently, the "Handan City Smoking Control Regulations" (draft) (draft for comments) is also undergoing revision and improvement.
Jiang Yuan said that the adult smoking rate in China has dropped from 28.1% in 2010 to 26.6% in 2018, a drop of 1.5% in 8 years, and the goal of the Healthy China Tobacco Control Action is to reduce the adult smoking rate to below 24.5% by 2022. Tobacco sales are still on the rise. To achieve a 2.1% drop in smoking rate within two years, extraordinary efforts will be required.
Smoking increases the risk of contracting new coronary pneumonia
Yin Xi, an official of the World Health Organization's representative office in China, said in his speech that the World Health Organization report suggests that smoking increases the risk of contracting COVID-19 for smokers and non-smokers around them.
The risks of smokers contracting new coronary pneumonia overlap each other, causing many cases to develop into severe cases.
At such a critical moment, it is becoming more urgent and necessary to drastically reduce the use of tobacco.
"In 2020, China has reported a total of more than 87,000 confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia, and more than 4,000 people have lost precious lives. What is more serious than new coronary pneumonia are various chronic non-communicable diseases. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke cause various chronic diseases. Important reason." Yin Xi said.
According to the Global Burden of Disease report, more than 1 million people die every year in China due to tobacco use or exposure to second-hand smoke.
Therefore, Yin Xi called for "effective smoke-free regulations should cover all public places, workplaces, and public transportation indoors, and protect everyone fairly."
According to statistics, the total number of tobacco sales terminals in the country exceeds 5.4 million. On average, there is one tobacco sales shop for every 250 people. Its number and density are second to none in my country's retail industry.
Many of these tobacco sales terminals are still "concealed" around primary and secondary schools, and "hidden" tobacco advertisements on the counters are also everywhere.
In this regard, Yin Xi suggested that the tobacco consumption tax rate should be appropriately increased.
Ji Wei