Photo: Chinanews.com

Nearly 80 percent of people support labeling cigarette packages in China with graphic health warnings, according to a new survey released Tuesday.

The survey, carried out by the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, included responses from 5,230 interviewees from four Chinese cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Zhengzhou in Henan Province and Tangshan in Hebei Province. 

According to the survey, 77 percent of interviewees believe that graphic warnings on cigarette packages will deliver more effective anti-smoking messages than words. 

Some 77.2 percent of interviewees support printing graphic warnings on cigarette packages. The appeal is even stronger among 18 to 29 year-olds, with more than 84 percent saying that China should use graphic warnings on cigarette packages.

In addition, 69.3 percent of interviewees will not send cigarettes with health warning graphics as gifts to others and 65.5 percent will not welcome such gifts. 

Xu Guihua, a senior tobacco control expert, said that at present 115 counties and regions in the world have graphic warnings for cigarette packages. He stressed that printing graphic warnings on cigarette packs is the least expensive and best way to publicize the dangers of tobacco. 

Making regulations at an early date requiring graphic warnings on cigarette packages will help smokers quit smoking and keep non-smokers, especially teenagers, away from tobacco, said Xu. The move will also reduce the burden of medical treatment and disease prevention in China.

(Compiled by Du Mingming)