Family can be core of tobacco control efforts

In any country, grand social projects call for comprehensive social participation. Tobacco control in China is no exception.

Among China's health officials and experts, a consensus on the social harm of smoking has been established. The government should play a major task in tobacco control campaigns, whereas ordinary people vigorously join in, rather than being bystanders. Besides, failure in tobacco control undermines not only the well-being of Chinese families, but also the prosperity of the entire society.

However, specific actions have yet to be taken.

As a social activist working on tobacco control activities, I deeply understand that specific situations have to be taken into consideration while we seek to apply international successful experiences to China.

For instance, China is promoting smoking bans in public places, which is not an easy task. Chinese society pays more attention to family relationships than to public welfare. The tobacco control campaign in public spaces should be promoted simultaneously with a campaign that encourages non-smoking families.

This can be started in Beijing. Chinese families used to earn a "five-virtue family" tag if they met the expectations of their block managers. This can be used in tobacco control activities. It's difficult to ask for a stranger or your manager to stop smoking, but it's much easier to ask your dad or mom to quit cigarettes.

In non-smoking families, it can be an iron principle that no family member is a smoker and no guest smokes there. In this way, children's awareness of tobacco control could also be fostered since early childhood.

It is ironic that many doctors are heavy smokers themselves. In Chinese medical schools, tobacco control awareness should be stressed. Smoking cessation services should also be educated. These students, as long as they graduate and work as doctors or nurses, will directly influence and help patients quit smoking.

Enterprises, especially State-owned enterprises, can take the initiative in establishing non-smoking working environments. Senior managers and staffers should serve as good examples, and encourage smoking employees to keep their distance from cigarettes.

A nationwide non-smoking competition can be launched in big cities. Tobacco control lotteries can be set up, and part of the revenue can be used to award winners. Non-smokers will encourage their relatives and friends to join in quitting smoking. And more importantly, local clinics that help people quit smoking can better promote themselves.

At the moment, unlike people in other countries, most Chinese do not see smoking as a disease. The government should boost social awareness through a top-down manner. For instance, the State Council could set up a working team that guides tobacco control. This team can make plans and supervise their implementation, so as to improve the poor performance of tobacco control in this country.

China joined the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 1996, and has practiced tobacco control ever since. However, later obstacles proved much bigger than expected, and practical action has been severely delayed. In January 2011, China got an average of only 37 percent on five key indexes. This was widely seen as a humiliation.

Statistics concerning the population of Chinese smokers are appalling. About 350 million Chinese smoke and more than 700 million are victims of second-hand smoking. Each year, as many as 1 million Chinese die from tobacco-related diseases. Experts have estimated that without proper controls, this annual death toll would triple by 2050. China must take action now.