The Chinese Association on Tobacco Control recently held a press conference, in which it announced it would put forward suggestions to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Ministry of Supervision on the banning of tobacco consumption with public funds.
Xu Guihua, standing deputy director of CATC, said that governments at various levels should set an example in reducing tobacco consumption, but tobacco is still consumed at public expense in government departments. Gui pointed out that consuming tobacco with public funds not only goes against China's commitment to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, but also upsets taxpayers. What's more, it also seriously damages the image of the Communist Party and the Chinese government among the public.
CATC suggests the government and concerned departments strictly ban the consumption of tobacco using public funds and the reimbursement of tobacco fees, and make stricter measures to punish those violators. Besides, it also proposes that auditing departments strengthen on their review and monitoring of tobacco consumption, saying that the government and civil servants should take a lead and set up an example in tobacco control.
CATC will soon submit the proposals to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Ministry of Supervision.
