Tobacco control

With two months left, China's smoking ban in public venues, including restaurants and bars, may well go up in smoke. The government has promised to ensure that all public places, workplaces and public transportation go smoke free by January 2011.

However, we have doubts about how effective such a ban is going to be. It is indisputable that smoking is a killer. Yet the government has not taken enough measures to restrict smoking in public areas. It is not just a question of weak regulations but also weak implementation.

Even more shockingly, every year more women and young people are introduced to cigarettes and consequently become addicted. We condemn the future generation to certain death through government inaction.