Asian Games are smokefree for the first time

For the first time ever, this year’s 16th Asian Games were smokefree, providing an important opportunity to promote smokefree policies in China. Held in Guangzhou on 12-27 November 2010, the Asian Games are now second only to the summer Olympics in size and scope. More than 7,000 athletes as well as thousands of volunteers, spectators and other participants were involved this year.

Asian Games are smokefree for the first time

For the first time ever, this year’s 16th Asian Games were smokefree, providing an important opportunity to promote smokefree policies in China. Held in Guangzhou on 12-27 November 2010, the Asian Games are now second only to the summer Olympics in size and scope. More than 7,000 athletes as well as thousands of volunteers, spectators and other participants were involved this year.

The “Smokefree Asian Games” was an initiative of the Guangzhou Association of Tobacco Control (GATC), which has been a grantee of The Union since 2008. They worked closely with the Asian Games Committee to ensure the games would be tobacco-free and to establish the necessary tobacco control regulations.

Together the GATC and the Asian Games Committee established the General Policies on Smoking Control at Venues of the 16th Asian Games. These regulations set smoking bans in five categories of places: gyms, stadiums, the Games village, media centre and transport. The sale of tobacco products was also prohibited at the Games, as was tobacco sponsorship and promotion of any form. GATC was also able to incorporate tobacco control policy issues as part of the Asian Games training, holding several workshops for Games staff and agencies.

These efforts also had an impact beyond the Games. Together with the Municipal Health Campaign Committee, the Plan to Secure a Smoking Ban in Guangzhou during the Asian Games was developed and the Guangzhou Regulation on Smoking Control went into effect prior to the Games. GATC workshops were also extended to include staff working in health campaign committees at municipal, county and district levels.

In addition to its work in promoting the smoking ban among government agencies, GATC has also been educating the public about the harmful effects of smoking through press conferences, World No Tobacco Day events and dissemination of advocacy materials. GATC seeks to work collaboratively with other organisations whenever possible in order to better implement smokefree policies in the future.