Government and Policy

China moves to reduce smoking scenes on TV

By Wang Qingyun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-02-12 17:08
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The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said on its official website Saturday that it has issued an announcement to ban inappropriate smoking scenes in movies and TV shows.

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The announcement said smoking scenes are out of line with the country's stance on tobacco control, and are misleading to the public, especially minors. Thus it is prohibiting scenes of cigarette brands, people smoking at smoke-free places, minors buying and smoking cigarettes, and other smoking scenes associated with minors.

In the announcement, the administration also asks movie and TV series makers to try to find other forms of artistic expression that doesn't involve smoking, and to edit smoking scenes, if there are any, to be as short as possible. The administration said the ban is effective immediately.

China joined the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003, and pledged to make all public places smoke-free zones before January 2011.

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