According to a recent report jointly published by the World Health Organization and United Nations Development Programme, the economic losses associated with tobacco use in China were about 350 billion yuan ($50.82 billion) in 2014 and more than 1 million people die of tobacco-related diseases every year.

Tobacco use is one of the main causes of cancer in China, a WHO official has warned. China has a smoking population of more than 300 million and 740 million people are often exposed to secondhand smoke. This once again highlights the need for the government to introduce a full nationwide ban on smoking in public places.

The harm caused by tobacco use is so great that nearly 92 percent of the public support a full ban on smoking in all indoor public places, indoor workplaces and public transport, a survey conducted by Chinese Association on Tobacco Control in 10 cities in late February showed.