Shanghai health authorities will name 44 medical facilities in the city as non-smoking hospitals today, which is World No Tobacco Day.

The 44 hospitals have strict rules on smoking, have set up non-smoking signs, banned medical staff from lighting up in work areas, advise patients and their relatives to butt out, and don't sell cigarettes in their gift shops.

Doctors from the hospitals also give two lectures a year on the risks of smoking in nearby communities.

According to the World Health Organization, health professionals are in an excellent position to play a prominent role in controlling tobacco use, as they have the opportunity to help people change their behavior and can give advice, guidance and answers to questions related to the consequences of tobacco use.

Currently, there are 320 million smokers in China, accounting for one-quarter of all smokers in the world. About 750,000 Chinese die of smoking-related diseases every year.

About 65 percent of local male adults smoke and non-smokers have to put up with second-handed smoke in 31.3 percent of public venues and 48.9 working places, health authorities said.

"The local government has issued a regulation on smoking control in public venues and has promoted knowledge on the dangers of smoking for years," said Song Guofan, a bureau official. "The city started to require medical staff to quit smoking in 2001 and establish non-smoking hospitals last year."

Health officials said 241 local hospitals applied to be named non-smoking facilities.

(Shanghai Daily May 31, 2005)