Study showed that the Tobacco Museum of China placed in Shanghai has become a “patriotic education special base”. Nevertheless, many inhabitants have discussed the controversy, declaring that the museum can be a subtle but effective promotion for cigarettes consumption, reported an article in Legal Daily. The development attitude of the tobacco company does not look very optimistic. And although the industry still contributes a lot of revenue to the State treasury, the severe health damage that smoking cigs effect is well-known.
Many inhabitants are asking how could a tobacco museum show only the fulfillment of the tobacco company. Massive incomes and stories about famous men and celebrities addicted to smoking tobacco do not tell much about the harm it can cause. So how can the museum be a “patriotic education base” ?
The museum can be a worse influence on children. There is no harm in constructing a museum showing the development of the tobacco company and tobacco culture. But such a museum should have nothing to do with kids’ education or teaching.
But education should be the maintained of schools, colleges and universities and never be widened to places like tobacco museums, which, according to some specialists, can poison youngsters’ mind with wrong information.
Public awareness has always played a very important role in controlling smoking habit in the country. Now it has urged people to question the use of a tobacco museum for charity and patriotic education.
That’s why public reaction is much more important for controlling smoking than official actions like the China Tobacco Control Association’s request to the Shanghai municipal government to remove the museum’s “patriotic education base” tag.