The role of indirect advertising in establishing social legitimacy: An analysis of tobacco sponsorship in China

Around the world, 11,000 people die every day from illnesses associated with tobacco use. Of those who die, over 2,000 live in China. It is estimated that by the year 2050 this number will expand to over 8,000 Chinese deaths each day (The Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control, 2004; An International Treaty for Tobacco Control, 2003). Recently, China surpassed the United States in the number of tobacco related deaths. “Chinese adults severely underestimate smoking risks. A 1996 nationwide survey revealed that two-thirds believe smoking does little or no harm. Professor Richard Peto of Oxford University states that ‘Sixty percent of Chinese adults don’t know that smoking can cause lung cancer, and 96% don’t know it can cause heart disease’" (Wilson, 1998).