China’s proposed new law on tobacco advertising open to public comment

Public health and legal experts in China are urging that a comprehensive ban on tobacco-related advertising and promotion be included in an amended law aimed at curbing smoking, particularly among young people, according to a story in the China Daily.

Public comment on the law is currently underway online and will continue until March 24, according to the State Council’s legislative affairs website.

Xu Guihua, deputy director of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, said that the new law was an improvement on the current version but still lagged behind the World Health Organization’s standards.

According to Jiang Yanming, a divisional director of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the amendments expand the existing advertising limitations to new media forms, including the Internet and electronic publications.

Also, some additional places, including libraries, art galleries, museums, public parks and public transportation, would be covered by the new law.

The amended law would better meet the demands of the public in accordance with the practical situation in the country, he said.

Meanwhile, Fabio Scano, head of disease control at WHO’s China office, said the State Council’s consideration of amendments provided an important opportunity to strengthen China’s tobacco-control policy.