Teen smoking rising in China

BEIJING, June 2 (UPI) -- A study on rising tobacco addiction among Chinese teenagers says 68 percent of the 130 million teens have had their first whole cigarette before the age of 13.

The 2008 China Tobacco Control study, reported by the China Daily, said about 40 million of the country's 130 million children between the ages of 13 and 18 have tried smoking, and 15 million are now addicted.

The rate of addiction among girls is much higher than what it was when their mothers were their age, Sarah England with the China office of the World Health Organization, said.

Yang Gonghuan with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention blamed tobacco advertisements and promotion for the rising rate of tobacco addiction, China Daily reported. Yang said smoking scenes in films and TV programs and parents and teachers who smoke also encourage teen smoking.

The study found more than 90 percent of the young smokers were able to buy cigarettes despite a ban on selling tobacco to children under 18.

WHO has urged China to impose a total ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, the report said. The Chinese government has planned to make the Beijing Summer Olympic Games smoke-free.