Grant Helps Emory Combat Smoking in China

By Jim Burress

Atlanta, GA – Cigarette smoking in China is a way of life. Two-thirds of men there 'light up' on a daily basis. There are more smokers in China than there are people in the US.

So snuffing out smoking there involves more than overcoming addiction--it involves changing culture, even among Chinese doctors.

"A doctor wouldn't hesitate in greeting you, to in a kindly, hospitable gesture, offer you a cigarette."

Dr. Jeffrey Koplan is the Director of the Emory Global Health Institute. He says the initiative will work by educating non-smokers of health hazards, offering current smokers help to quit, and encouraging municipalities to tax cigarettes.

"The more a pack of cigarettes costs, the fewer people will smoke. And that's been proven world-wide over and over again."

Koplan says after the initial five-year campaign, the hope is the Chinese government will continue the anti-smoking efforts.

Jim Burress, WABE News.