China proposes strict antitobacco controls

China’s government has published draft regulations for banning smoking in public places, which, if implemented, would become the strictest antismoking law in Chinese history.

The Cigarette Control Regulations in Public Areas, drafted by China’s health authority, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, would ban smoking in various indoor and outdoor public places, including sports venues and bus and train waiting areas. The regulations also propose that messages and graphic images illustrating the harms of tobacco should cover at least half the packaging of tobacco products, slightly less than the 65% recommended by the World Health Organization but still more than …