China, the world's largest consumers of tobacco, wants to place a nation-wide ban on smoking in public places by the end of the year in an effort to reduce tobacco use, Reuters reported.
Due to the nearly 300 million smokers in China, the National Health and Family Planning Commission is pressuring lawmakers to push for stricter laws on tobacco, according to Reuters.
The commission has recommended many different options for lowering tobacco use which include more education on the dangers of tobacco and banning smoking in all schools and hospitals, Reuters reported.
Smoking has taken a big toll on Chinese health where it is used as an essential part of socializing, especially among men, Reuters reported.
"Compared to the damage to health that smoking causes, tobacco's economic benefits are trivial," Mao Qun'an, a spokesman for the commission, said at a news conference on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Over the years experts have tried reducing tobacco use, but China's powerful tobacco industry have stalled those measures by not raising tobacco prices and placing minimal health warnings on the box, according to Reuters.
A Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention official said in December a nation wide ban on smoking in public places would be heavily considered this year, despite the pushback from the Tobacco industry, Reuters reported.
Their announcement came after a government circular asked all government officials to not smoke in public places, as to set an example, according to Reuters.
A nationwide ban on smoking has been deliberated in China for years, and cities like Beijing began prohibiting smoking in public venues and government offices but the lack of enforcing the ban has made no dent in China's goal to reduce smoking, Reuters reported. China has already placed a ban on smoking in public places but many ignore the signs and enforcement of the ban is minimal.
