A survey conducted by China's National Tobacco Control Office found 70 percent of Chinese people do not know about the danger smoking poses to health which, according to Wang, included heart, lung, respiratory and stomatic diseases.

Wang said he had advised the NPC to set up law on the prevention of tobacco harms as soon as possible.

"I am not alone on this," Wang said, "Many other NPC deputies have also made such suggestions."

Shi Zuolin and Huang Xihua are two of them.

Shi, dean of Fujian Provincial Healthcare Hospital for Women and Children, said the country should set up a law which forbids smoking in public areas. Huang, from the southern province of Guangdong, urged producers to print striking warning pictures, for instance, one of a smoker with throat cancer, on cigarette packaging.

China has already seen some progress in tobacco control in recent years. The country's capital Beijing banned smoking in most of its public places, including hotels, schools, cinemas, theatres and offices in May last year. Smoking in the city's taxis was also banned.

Shanghai and Hangzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang are also considering a smoking ban in public areas.

The health ministry also started a campaign on March 1 this year to urge medical workers to take the lead to quit smoking, with more than 300,000 health workers involved, who were also required to encourage their patients to give up the addiction.

"But our efforts still face many challenges," Wang Longde said.

The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration is on the one hand a government department which should honor China's commitment to the FCTC to curb smoking. But on the other hand, the administration is in charge of cigarette sales.

"The paradox between the two roles the administration plays would surely affect China's tobacco control progress," Wang said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2009)