These warnings will soon appear on billboards at every tobacco distribution centre, wholesale market and retail counter in China. The bureau's decision is a testament to the nation's concern for juveniles' health. Tobacco's harm to youngsters is stunning. Statistics show that about 9.7 per cent of China's young people from 15 to 19 are smokers. The number is on the rise, and the average age of juvenile smokers is less than 16.
Smoking ruins the health of many young people.
Easy access to cigarettes could explain the increasing number of young smokers. The STMB's recent move is a measure to reverse the current situation. The bureau deserves praise for taking the initiative to protect youngsters at the expense of the tobacco industry's profits. Since 1997, the STMB has worked with many social organizations including the Soong Ching Ling Charity Fund and the China Smoking and Health Association in this regard. Together they sponsored a series of activities to discourage young people from smoking and to encourage them to lead healthy lives.