<strong>China: STMA Issues Scheme for Implementing Tobacco Control Planning</strong>

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 07/24/2013

The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) – the regulator of China's tobacco industry – issued on July 9 the Scheme for Implementing the Tobacco Control Planning of China (2012-2015), in efforts to further promote tobacco control in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and maintain sustained and healthy development of the tobacco industry.

In issuing the scheme, the STMA required the whole tobacco industry to do a good job of its implementation.

The scheme pointed out that the Tobacco Control Planning of China (2012-2015) makes comprehensive planning for the work of tobacco control in China over a future period of time, makes specific requirements for strict application of tobacco monopoly administration and licensing administration, and makes overall arrangements for fighting illegal trading in tobacco products and for strengthening the internal management of the tobacco industry.

Earnest implementation of Tobacco Control Planning of China (2012-2015) will be a major task in launching the work of tobacco control in China for the time being and over a future period of time, according to the scheme.

The scheme specifies a package of priorities in the work of implementing the Tobacco Control Planning of China (2012-2015) – to launch in an in-depth way publicity and education about tobacco control and to strictly require cigarette retailers to place warning placards on their counters; to extensively ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and to strictly implement the relevant provisions of national nations and regulations; to keep strengthening warning on cigarette packaging against health hazards causable by smoking and to continue conducting research of schemes for applying package labels capable of enhancing the effect of warning; to practically strengthen tobacco taxation, pricing and proceeds management and to strengthen the management of costs and fees of enterprises; to establish and improve the systems of control over ingredients of tobacco products and information disclosure; to effectively crack down on illegal trading in tobacco products and to further promote the establishment of systems for fighting the production of and trading in counterfeit cigarettes and illegally manufactured tobacco products; and to strengthen the establishment of tobacco monitoring and surveillance information systems. Enditem