Too much smoke in China and not from air pollution

Nearly 30 percent of adults in China smoke, a number that just about equals the entire population of the United States. Of these 300 million Chinese smokers, government statistics suggest that one million will die every year. Home to the world s largest smoking population, China demonstrates the consequences of a state-owned tobacco monopoly in a country that, until recently, was without tobacco control legislation and which only now has decided to actively enforce such legislation. Toward this goal, Bill Gates is partnering with Robin Li, the chief executive of China s most popular internet search engine; the two are forming a foundation that will use traditional and online media to underscore the dangers of smoking, including secondhand smoke.

While ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross acknowledges that there are risks associated with second-hand smoke, he thinks that the new public health efforts would do better to focus on the much greater dangers to smokers themselves. Progress against smoking, while greatly needed, won t be easy, as proven here in the U.S. over the past 60 years. Worse, here is a government whose health ministry espouses a reduction in smoking as it enjoys a huge revenue from cigarettes.