[Intl-tobacco] China: More youth, women smoking: survey

[robert weissman]

More youth, women smoking: survey
www.chinaview.cn 2005-08-20 10:55:31

     BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- A survey conducted by the Chinese
Association of Tobacco Control revealed the numbers of young smokers and
female smokers are increasing in China.

     The survey was conducted among Beijing middle school students who
smoke and the result was released on Thursday, reported the China Daily.
About 1,000 children were tracked through primary andmiddle schools in
20 communities.

     "The actual figure is far more than 27 percent in our school," said
Ma Wei, when bringing out a pack of "555" brand cigarettes and a lighter
out of his Adidas shorts and lighting up.

     "Almost all my classmates smoke cigarettes, both girls and boys,"
said Ma, an 18-year-old half-pack-a-day smoker who will apply to college
next year.

     Overall, seven percent of all youth aged 6 to 18 smoke, the survey
found. The figure is 10.2 percent amongst boys and 1.8 percent amongst
girls.

     And it's not just children who are getting hooked. Xu Guihua,
vice-president of the Chinese Association of Tobacco Control,
saidthere's also a noticeable rise in the number of women who smoke
despite a slight down-turn amongst adults overall.

     On Thursday, the association also launched a commission in Beijing
to help young people stop smoking.

     The commission will try to build up a tobacco control
alliance,train volunteers, promote non-smoking on campus and facilitate
a "say 'no' to the first cigarette" campaign.

     China, home to one-fourth of the world's smokers, is the world's
largest producer and consumer of tobacco.

     The survey estimated the country has 320 million smokers, about36
percent of the population.

     Research shows high pressure, heart disease and diabetes,
whichoften trouble adults, are now turning up more often in young
people, said Hu Yamei, a medical consultant with the association.

     The government has been working on a nationwide smoking prevention
and intervention programme, and the country is approaching the
ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

     WHO figures show tobacco kills almost 5 million people worldwide
each year. If current trends continue, it is projected to kill 10
million people a year by 2020, with 70 percent of the deaths occurring
in developing countries. Enditem