Beijing—China, the world's largest consumer and producer of tobacco, has ratified an international treaty aimed at curbing tobacco-related diseases and deaths. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) was ratified on Sunday by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Chinese state media reported.
Dr Shigeru Omi, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, welcomed the announcement and congratulated China on what he called a landmark decision. “This is perhaps the clearest indication yet that the world is increasingly committed to addressing the global tobacco epidemic,” he said.
“Ratification of the FCTC by China could not have come at a better time,” said Dr Henk Bekedam, the WHO Representative in China. “This allows China to truly join global and regional efforts to curb smoking. Many lives will be saved, public health will be strengthened, and the economy will benefit as well.”
The Chinese Government estimates that there are 350 million smokers in the country. About 60% of Chinese men and 3% of women smoke. It also appears that the number of children and young female smokers may be increasing significantly.
Tobacco kills 1.2 million Chinese each year. In the mid-1990s, tobacco use cost the Government US$ 6.5 billion annually in health-care costs alone.
More than 75 countries have now ratified the Convention, including other major tobacco-manufacturing countries such as India and Japan. The Convention became international law in February 2005, after the required ratification by 40 countries.
China must now register its ratification with the United Nations in New York before ratification is officially recognized. Ninety days after the ratification is accepted by the United Nations, the Convention becomes binding international law for China.
Among its provisions, the treaty requires China to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship on radio, television, print media and the Internet within five years. It also prohibits tobacco-company sponsorship of international events and activities. Chinese state media reported that China is to ban all tobacco-vending machines, including in self-administered Hong Kong and Macao.
“We know that implementing the Convention will not be easy, as smoking is an ingrained habit in China,” said Dr Omi. “But the Government has made clear its commitment to take action. The positive impact of this move will be felt by generations and generations to come.”
Tobacco Fact Sheet
Global
- Smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of death.
- Tobacco claims 4.9 million lives a year, and if the present consumption patterns continue, the number of deaths will increase to 10 million by the year 2020, 70% of which will occur in developing countries.
- There are an estimated 1.3 billion smokers and half of them (some 650 million people) are expected to die prematurely of a tobacco-related disease.
- At the current rate, the number of smokers will rise from 1.3 billion today to 1.7 billion by 2025.
Western Pacific Region
- Tobacco kills more than 3000 people each day in the Region.
- The Western Pacific has one third of the world's smokers, the highest percentage of male smokers and the fastest increase of smoking among children and young women.
- Smoking is the leading cause of death in Japan, and is responsible for 20% of all cancers.
China
- About 60% of men and 3% of women smoke. The government has reported there are about 350 million Chinese smokers.
- China is the world’s leading consumer and producer of tobacco products.
- The tobacco market is dominated by the China National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC), which is a government monopoly.
- CNTC's sales account for one-third of the global market, or about the same market share as the three largest multinational tobacco companies combined, but most of its sales are within China.
- China, the United States of America and India, are the world's largest tobacco producers.
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)
- The Convention, which was negotiated under the auspices of WHO, provides protection from tobacco for the first time by setting international standards on tobacco price and tax increases, tobacco advertising and sponsorship, labelling, illicit trade and second-hand smoke.
- The treaty entered into force on 27 February 2005. For countries that ratify after 30 November 2005, the Convention becomes binding 90 days after ratification.
- Countries that sign the treaty will be obliged to ban advertising and sponsorship promoting tobacco products, forbid sales to minors, force companies to print larger health warnings on cigarette packs, use taxation to reduce consumption, and clamp down on smuggling.
- The WHO FCTC has the potential to save over 10 million lives a year.