China to ban smoking in public places?
It said public comments are now being canvassed on the draft version that is expected to be completed by the end of the year, quoting Xu Guihua, deputy chairman and secretary-general of the China Anti-Smoking Association.
The ban would also go hand-in-hand with a nationwide campaign against smoking. Zu added that legislation curbing cigarette advertising is also in the works. A complete ban on cigarette ads and promotion activities is expected by 2011, Xu was quoted saying.
According to the World Health Organisation, China has the largest number of smoking population in the world, running into several hundred million.
The report said in China, 60% of males and 4% of females aged 15 or above smoke cigarettes.
Of the 5 million people who die of various diseases related with smoking every year in the world, 1.2 million are in China, it said. If the situation is not controlled, the figure might reach 10 million by 2020.
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