Tobacco Control Mass Communication in China

Abstract

This chapter describes the model, the network and the main features of mass communications of tobacco control in China since 2006, when the “Framework Convention on Tobacco Control” (FCTC) came into effect in China. It also introduces the implementation and influences of tobacco control activities in China through 9 case studies of representative tobacco control communication events. These case studies include campaigns such as “I want to tell you, because I love you” and “giving cigarettes is giving harm” that are promoting the knowledge of harms of tobacco use, attempting to change the social norms. It also includes important media events regarding tobacco control policy change and legislations that help the public to comprehend tobacco control policies of FCTC, as well as its implementation in China—for example, the WNTD events, the communication activities of Beijing tobacco control legislation, and the release of “Tobacco Control and China’s Future”, a critical report that evaluate the FCTC implementation in China during the past 5 years. Communication events such as “Tobacco Academicians” and “Dirty Ashtray Award” are also highlighted because its critical effect of disclose the tobacco industry’s interferences with China’s tobacco control movement.

The analysis of China’s tobacco control communications shows that the joint efforts of government departments (primarily the National Health and Family Planning Commission, NHFPC), tobacco control experts teams, media and non-governmental organizations in the past 10 years have achieved good results in tobacco control. However, the task of tobacco control in China is arduous. The most important reason for the success of tobacco control is the interaction between experts and scholars, opinion leaders and the media. Therefore, how to maintain this positive and interactive model so that more and more people can join in, approve, and supervise the implementation of tobacco control policies—this is the key to the success of tobacco control communications and the major challenge facing the tobacco control experts in the future. At the same time, how the government department more actively participate in and provide financial support; and how to develop the most effective communication strategies that adapt into the new era of information technology, are also key challenges of tobacco control communication in China.