At the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) in Singapore WHO Director General Margaret Chan urged China and other Asian countries to raise taxes on cigarette sales and ban tobacco advertising and sponsorships.
The Chinese government banned smoking at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, but Chan today said China more must do more to discourage the habit, according to the Washington Post.
Chan said Asian countries should follow the lead of Australia, which is seeking to allow only plain packaging on cigarette boxes. He also praised Singapore, which has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world.
Earlier this month, the Singapore government said it planned to extend a ban on smoking to include all corridors and staircases in residential buildings, sheltered walkways and bridges and a five-meter radius around bus stops. (pi)