China agrees to smoking curbs

Associated Press, CNN ^ | August 29, 2005 | Associated Press

[TKDietz]

BEIJING, China (AP) -- China, home to more than 300 million smokers, has ratified an international treaty prohibiting tobacco advertising and will ban tobacco vending machines, the government said Monday.

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was ratified Sunday by the National People's Congress, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Parliament leaders "supported the treaty by announcing that China will ban tobacco vending machines of any kind" in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, Xinhua said.

The treaty requires China to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship on radio, television, print media and the Internet within five years, according to Xinhua.

It also prohibits tobacco company sponsorship of international events and activities.

-snip-

[TKDietz]

Why on earth would countries enter into treaties prohibiting conduct within their own borders that has no effect on other countries? I hope we don't sign on for this craziness.

[Bigh4u2]

"300 million smokers" is a LOT of people to tick off.

Boxer Rebellion 2?

[phasma proeliator]

How the hell do you smoke a curb!?. here in the states they are mostly made of concrete - last I checked I couldn't light one...

I wouldn't image it tastes very good either..

[Quick Shot]

But they are nice to hold on to on the way home from the bar..

[FOXFANVOX]

I gave up smoking years ago, because I chose to. If I still smoked I would be unhappy with someone else telling me I could not smoke, especially someone that had no compunction about killing be in other ways, like execution!

[phasma proeliator]

LOL... good point.

[Lexington Green]

Fight Globalism. Start Smoking.

[TKDietz]

I hate cigarettes. I'm trying right now to get the gumption to quit but, I'm a damned junkie when it comes to these things. Still, I don't think they ought to be illegal and it sure looks like a lot of people in the world would like to see that happen, on an international level. With treaties like this, a country gives up part of its sovereignty. I can't imagine why a country would do that for something like this. My gosh, if China wanted to ban cigarette machines and advertising in their own country they could have done that without signing off on this treaty. Now they are bound by international law and subject to penalties from the international community if they don't enforce these laws. Someday we might see countries signing treaties like this that actually ban smoking, similar to the treaties we now have for currently illegal drugs.

[TKDietz]

"to quit but, I'm..."

Should say:

"to quit, but I'm..."

[qam1]

Puff

Though even with this, it's still sad that China when it comes to tobacco is still more freer than many places in the United States

[nothingnew]

China, home to more than 300 million smokers, has ratified an international treaty prohibiting tobacco advertising and will ban tobacco vending machines, the government said Monday.

Et tu, Mao? The new and improved democracy (ha hah ha) in action.

FMCDH(BITS)

[Gabz]

Though even with this, it's still sad that China when it comes to tobacco is still more freer than many places in the United States

What a sad, but true, commentary on what the nannyist control freaks have done to us.

[Gabz]

I hope we don't sign on for this craziness.

You would be shocked at just how many are clamorring for us to sign onto this.

[qam1]

I hope we don't sign on for this craziness.

Tubby Tommy Thompson tried signing us on to this BS when he was the HHS secretary

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/914280/posts

He claimed he had the support of the Bush administration, but I never heard a word from Bush and this treaty went nowhere and thankfully Tubby Tommy isn't in the HHS secretary anymore.

[Gabz]

Tubby Tommy Thompson tried signing us on to this BS when he was the HHS secretary

EXACTLY why I said people would be shocked about who is clamorring for us to do it.

Smoker or not - these are the kind of things that must be watched. The problem is that there are so many fanatics, on a host of different issues, that see nothing wrong with something like this --- until it hits their pet project.

[The Foolkiller]

Tell me about it. I've been involved in a bruhaha on another thread, concerning gasoline prices. Check out some of the "'ho-hum, I've got mine, too bad you don't have yours' comments by the "conservatives" here, who just think there should be absolutely nothing done about it, even though it's going to destroy the economy if left unchecked-and-the republican majority along with it.

Again, this is not about smoking-but-a lot of FReepers certainly have their heads up their a$$ on a LOT of subjects-you may want to check it out.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1472543/posts

[Gabz]

I understand EXACTLY what you are saying and where you are coming from. It upsets me to no end.

[The Foolkiller]

Please read my lengthy post on that thread (I've had many there). Believe it was #124. Pretty much says it all.

[Gabz]

Will do.

[RichInOC]

In the immortal words of Bob Dylan...everybody must get stoned.