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Tobacco and the Lung Cancer Epidemic in China
Ekta Sandhu
San Jose State University
PH 100 W
Professor Naomi Williams
July 29, 2022
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Tobacco and the Lung Cancer Epidemic in China
Tobacco use has been a prevalent cause of lung cancer in many countries. For a person
who either has lung cancer or has been killed by lung cancer, the first thought is that the person
was either a smoker or a tobacco user. The rate at which countries like China use tobacco is
alarming as theirmortality rate is also high. China, the world's most populated country, also has
the highest number of tobacco users and smokers. The mortality rate of tobacco users in China
is 1 millionannually, and research has it that in the next four decades, the number will triple if
there is no control. Despite the fact that lung cancer is the leading cause of mortality in China,
a huge population of China is still unaware of its importance and how to avoid becoming
victims. In order to better comprehend cancer, it is helpful to know how malignant cells
multiply. Quitting smoking is one methodical way of enhancing lung functions, a way to reduce
the risk of heart diseases, and lessening the likelihood of acquiring lung cancer.
Statistical Analysis of Lung Cancer in China
In China, lung cancer risks are rising at a pace that has never been observed before. In
China in 2015, there were 733,000 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases and more than 600,000
individuals who passed away from the disease (Parascandola & Xiao, 2019). This accounts for
17 percent of all cancer diagnoses and 21.7 percent of all cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the
kind of illness diagnosed most often and results in the most deaths in China. The majority of
the rise in lung cancer diagnoses may be attributed to the increasing prevalence of passive
smoking. In 2015, 27 percent of persons smoked tobacco products at some point. 53% of males
and 2% of women report having this problem (Parascandola & Xiao, 2019).
In recent years, 19 cities in China have introduced complete smoke-free rules and
extended cessation aid. Both have had a significant impact on reducing the amount of tobacco
that is used throughout the nation. However, a significant number of challenges still need to be
overcome before the Healthy China 2030 goal of flattening the curve for the number of people
who smoke to 20 percent can be achieved. The regulation of exposure to secondhand smoke,
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the enhancement of smoking cessation programs, and the investigation of novel technologies
for the administration of nicotine are all top goals (ANDS). It is important to recognize that
China has over 1 billion residents, and more than half of them will likely going to suffer from
lung cancer soon. An estimation of more than 700 million people in China are either smoking
or non-active smokers, but they are exposed to smoking; these statistics state that the main
cause of lung cancer in the country is mainly due to the use of tobacco. As Parascandola and
Xiao indicated, there are more than 300 million smoking adults in the country, categorized into
two. Lung cancer is the number one killer disease, with 27% of cancer-related deaths.
Lung cancer is not only caused by smoking, but other research says that it is also caused
by using coal as a heating device and the air pollution prevalent in China (Cao & Chen, 2019).
Air pollution is indicated as another cause of lung cancer. China is an industrial center, and the
amount of construction and production going on there causes the country's air to be polluted
(Guo et al, 2019). The air pollution also comes from the fact that the country is highly
congested, and thus the number of pollutant automobiles companies in the country is many
hence the air pollution. Industrialization and China being among the top producing companies,
has a lot of waste products, and many fossil fuels are burnt, causing the air to be populated.
There are many buildings, most of which are skyscrapers, meaning there is not enough air
circulation in the country.
The increase in Tobacco Consumption in China
According to 2017 research by Islami and his colleagues, tobacco significantly contributes
to China's total cancer burden, making up the greatest percentage of the cancer problem among
key risk factors (Islami et al., 2017). The study supports that, with tobacco being China's leading
cause of lung cancer, the country has recorded the highest number of tobacco users worldwide,
supported by the fact that China is the leading cigarette industry in the world due to its high
population. The tobacco they produce in the country is used both locally and imported; therefore,
even though the country benefits from exporting the tobacco, they also suffer from the same fate
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of tobacco use (Parascandola & Xiao, 2019). Banning of smokingin public areas has been
initiated to control tobacco use in the country. There are tobacco users in the country who are not
active users of the product but still suffer the same fate as those who use the product.
Tobacco Mitigation Strategies
In the absenteeism of an inclusive national rule, local governments in China have taken
the initiative to create smoke-free laws for public venues. A number of public places in Beijing,
including sporting stadiums, medical facilities, public transit stations, and cultural locations,
among other places, implemented smoking bans in the lead-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics. In
preparation for the World Expo in 2010, Shanghai followed suit and banned smoking in some
areas and establishments across the city's public spaces. At the very least, 19 cities in China have
recently passed comprehensive smoke-free legislation, which includes a prohibition on smoking
in any indoor place of employment.
Defense against the Health Effects of Secondhand Smoking
The country has tried several ways to control the rate at which tobacco is used in the
country and reduce lung cancer caused by tobacco use. The first policy, which is very common
in severalcountries, is to ban public smoking and create smoking zones (Barnett et al., 2021).
This has been helpful in reducing the number of cases of people affected by lung cancer caused
by passive smoking. The implementation of this regulation has resulted in a decrease in
exposure to secondhand smoke since 2010, according to new data from the China Adult
Tobacco Survey conducted in 2015 (Parascandola & Xiao, 2019). Studies indicate that when it
comes to reducing the prevalence of smoking in the United States and the rest of North America,
progress has not been evenly distributed among demographic groups (US National Cancer
Institute. (2017). Tobacco use and the harm it does to one's health are becoming more
problematic for the poor. As in the United States, there may be a similar trend in China, where
tobacco use is dropping, and tobacco control measures are being strengthened in some provinces
and major urban areas, but not in other parts of the country or rural regions.
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Nevertheless, exposure to secondhand smoke remains high in certain settings even after
the implementation of this policy. Between the years 2010 and 2015, there was a reduction in
the amount of secondhand smoke that non-smokers inhaled in public places such as government
buildings, restaurants, schools, and health care facilities. This has somehow helped also in
reducing the rate of air pollution in the country. There has been a ban on advertising tobacco,
especially in mass media, which has a great effect on controlling such issues. There have been
measures trying to reduce the amount of tar present in tobacco as this is the leading component
in causing cancer, but a reduction of tar in the product will also reduce the quality of cigarettes,
thus reducing the market (Barnett et al., 2021). There are several measures implemented to curb
the lung cancer epidemic.
Efforts to Encourage Smokers to Quit
In China, efforts to help people quit smoking have received more attention during the last
decade. According to the findings of a research carried out on tobacco use in 2015, more than
half of smokers had sought assistance on how to stop smoking from a medical practitioner during
the last year (Xu et al., 2019). This percentage was just 30 percent in 2010. On the other hand,
people's propensity to quit is still rather low. The study by Parascandola and Xiao established that
during the population of those who had ever smoked, there were close to 17 percent who had
successfully stopped smoking and another 25 percent who had tried to quit within the previous
year. The likelihood of giving up is likewise low (Parascandola & Xiao, 2019). The study further
points out that a small percentage (close to 7) of those who now smoke have any intention of
quitting within the next month, and 17% have any intention of quitting within the next 12
months.
Smokers in China are less likely to want to quit than those in high- and middle-income
countries like the United States, where quitting smoking is a top priority for the vast majority of
people who smoke. While in the United States, 68 percent of those who had attempted to stop
during the previous year reported not using any technique, in China, 92 percent of those who had
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tried to quit said that they had not used any strategy (such as medicine or therapy) as indicated
by CDC (2011). However, there are also some hopeful trends in China toward the reduction or
elimination of smoking. Every year, three smoking cessation clinics and helplines are set up in
each of the provinces, and those who are interested in quitting smoking. Given the widespread
use of mobile technology in China, it is possible that the use of social media tools such as
WeChat or text messaging to facilitate smoking cessation also has a significant amount of
untapped potential.
New Products as well as New Regulations
E-cigarette usage among middle school children is greater than adults, as the China
Tobacco Survey concluded that more than 1% of high school students had used this product at
least once during their previous 30 days. E-cigarettes have been mentioned by almost half (40
percent) of all pupils surveyed thus far. If you've tried smoking cigarettes before, have parents or
friends who smoke, or have been exposed to tobacco advertising, all of these things are likely to
influence your decision to switch to using an e-cigarette (Parascandola & Xiao, 2019). According
to this research, the usage of electronic cigarettes is linked to smoking traditional cigarettes. The
two authors believe that tobacco usage was seen more favorably by students who were familiar
with or used e-cigarettes. For example, some students believe that smoking enhances one's social
attractiveness. They were also more likely to declare that they would use tobacco in the following
year or use tobacco if supplied by a friend than the general population at large is now. This
research found no correlation between e-cigarette usage and a desire to quit smoking or a previous
attempt to quit in the previous 12 months. As a result, there is no evidence that e-cigarettes are
being used to help Chinese youngsters quit smoking.
Conclusion
A statistical comparison of China to other places, such as North America, the tobacco
pandemic in China is still in its earliest stages. It is possible that the entire influence that tobacco
smoking habits have had on cancer mortality over the last several decades has not yet been
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acknowledged. When it comes to stopping smoking or using tobacco, many people believe that
they would die from something else anyhow, so why bother? It's a sad fact that some of the
negative consequences of this addiction include debilitating, long-lasting illnesses. Dentists have
various difficulties in helping their patients overcome this dependence. In addition to being timeconsuming and aggravating, learning and organizing the office staff is also required, and
reimbursements are very infrequent. In spite of all of this, witnessing someone overcomes their
addiction and the beneficial effect it has on them and their loved ones is a rewarding experience in
and of itself. When it comes to helping patients stop smoking, dental offices need to be informed
about tobacco and nicotine dependence, offer resources like informational pamphlets and phone
numbers for counselors, and be aware of local quit lines and services.
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References
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