CRI听力:China Adopts Law with Tougher Curbs on Tobacco Ads

The amendment was approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress at its bimonthly session, which closed today.

The revised law will forbid Tobacco advertisements on mass media and in public places and ban any kinds of advertisement targeting minors.

Peng Sen is the Vice-Chairperson of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of China's top legislature. He is strongly against tobacco advertising in the country.

"When people were discussing the issue at the State Council, or soliciting opinions from different fields, they mentioned that the tax revenue generated by the tobacco industry will exceed a trillion yuan per year. It will also create tens of thousands of jobs and promote development of poverty-stricken areas. I don't think those are reasons (for tobacco ads). People's health should always be the top priority. "

The current Advertisement Law was enacted in 1994 but officials felt the rules regarding tobacco ads were out of date. For example, tobacco companies are allowed to conduct sales campaign in the name of disaster relief or donation for students. They are also permitted to use social media such as Wechat or other Internet platforms to promote their brands.

Statistics show that tobacco promotion via Wechat or other websites has increased 33 percent this year over last year.

Yu Xiuyan is a researcher with the Health Law Research Center, affiliated with China University of Political Science and Law.

She says the number of channels and places where tobacco ads have been banned has been expanded.

"People rarely notice that the current Advertising Law only forbids tobacco ads on a few mass media outlets, not all the places. So we could find tobacco ads in many public places, such as in new media, which have not been banned by current laws."

Surveys have found that nearly 50 percent of China's middle school students between 13- and-15-years-old are exposed to tobacco ads or sales campaigns.

The amendment to the 21-year-old Advertising Law will take effect on September 1.

Xiao Lin is a smoking control expert with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. She hopes the newly amended ad law will ban any kinds of tobacco advertisement targeting minors.

"Frankly speaking, we all know those ads and campaigns- adults will hardly start smoking just because of the influence of ads- they are mainly targeting minors. For the sake of our future generation, I hope to see a full banning in the newly amended law."

According to the new law, advertisements for non-tobacco products or services should not include the brand, trademark, packaging, design or similar content of tobacco products.