故宫近六百年来首次全面禁烟 (视频)
"http://player.cntv.cn/standard/cntvOutSidePlayer.swfThe Palace Museum has announced its first-ever comprehensive smoking ban. The new measure is meant to protect its architecture and relics from fire. The campaign encourages people to look at the huge social losses caused by smoking.
The Palace Museum, home to the Ming and Qing dynasties, historical architecture and imperial treasures. Precious and fragile, and now, protected by a complete smoking ban and from the Palace’s biggest enemy: fire.
Shan Jixiang, curator of the Palace Museum, said, "This is a world heritage that needs upgrade protection; I think we need to give the world a smoke-free Palace Museum."
Smoking restrictions were toughened across Beijing in 2008 -- but the new Palace Museum rules will see tourist kicked out if they break the ban and staff caught smoking could lose a yearly bonus.
A tourist said, "It’s very hard for a heavy smoker like me, but it’s worth enforcing for our culture heritage."
The national Fire Department says smoking caused 12 percent of historical building fires in China. Cigarettes also destroy 10,000 modern building a year. It also has impact on heath. More than 1 million Chinese die from smoking related diseases last year. But tougher penalties and harsher bans, appear a long way off.
Huo Deming, economist at Peking University, said, "Well, in this industry, there is so much revenue. I think more than a trillion RMB generated in a year. We are thinking about such a huge industry supporting both the service for the people and local government. "
10 percent of all taxes collected by the Chinese government; that’s 240 billion yuan -- come from Tobacco companies. But the revenue is almost instantly wiped out by the social losts – a figure Peking University estimate to be 250 billion yuan. That’s money, spent on medical costs, and lost from shorter life expectancy and dealing with fire hazards and pollution.
Huo said, "There are certain kinds of externalities which are not the benefits but losses needed to be calculated. All I know is China’s external cost is much higher than external cost in US."
This little thing can burn the spectacular architecture behind us down to nothing. The Palace Museum’s smoking ban reminds us that there are some certain losses that we cannot afford, for example history and life. Tobacco business has sped up the economy but also destroy it in a faster pace. Gain or loss? It’s time for the society to redo the math.
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