Lung cancer cases soar in Beijing

[Jimbuna]

No real surprise when taking into consideration the pollution in many of the cities in the country.

The number of lung cancer cases in the Chinese capital Beijing has soared over the last decade.
According to figures published by the state-run Xinhua news agency, they have increased by more than 50%.
Beijing health officials say smoking is still the number one cause of lung cancer, but they admit air pollution is also a factor.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently estimated that polluted air kills millions of people every year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24880737

[Schroeder]

Now that came unexpected....not.

[AVGWarhawk]

Smoking still looks to be the #1 cause.

[Mr Quatro]

I have pondered this question of smog and health for several years now.

Take Singapore for example or any country with a smog country will do. All of you seem to spend a lot of time online and with high speed it gets a lot easier.

So do a little quick research and even post results if you find them looking for pictures of these areas of concern online taken back in the early 1960's vs what the same city scenes look like today.

I did Singapore and the shots were amazingly clear in the 60's with a little haze even then to todays blanket of smog.

This would make a great coffee table book with hi-res pictures and a CD in the back cover to remember the old days by. I don't think it's going to get better unless they have more typhoons like this last one in the Philippines.

195mph winds for 48 hours will clear out a lot of smog, uh?

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Smoking still looks to be the #1 cause.

Erudite of you to say what I was going to say. Most of the population start smoking at a fairly young age compared to western societies and there's still no stigma attached to smoking. Still some advertising od smokes and china tobacco actually sponsors schools. https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&s...hUc6BaFO1-x7EA

At some point the government over there may look at its health care budget and decide to start a campaign to cut down on the number of people who need care due to lung cancer. The smog and brown coal industry probably don't help either.

[Jimbuna]

I can't see the government placing a great deal of thought to a health care budget...after all, lung cancer and other deadly diseases are probably considered a natural way for them to control the rise in population, such is the value of life there.

[TarJak]

Nor I. That and the fact that the government makes a fat profit from its tobacco company its going to be a long time before they do.

[Wolferz]

Neither does Beijing.


Population control boys and girls.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Celestials were still using leaded gasoline.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

I wouldn't be surprised if the Celestials were still using leaded gasoline.

Only six nations still allow the sale of Tetraethyllead added gasoline for use in motor vehicles China is not one of them.The only reason leaded gasoline is still produced is primarily for use as avgas for small aircraft engines after 2014 it will no longer be produced after that no major oil company produce leaded gasoline.

The Chinese pollution is most liked caused by little or no emissions restrictions on gasoline(unleaded) and diesel engines and also on little to no regulation on factory smoke stack emissions.

The real reason why the air is cleaner in North America and Western Europe? They moved 90% of the manufacturing to China over the past 40 years along with cheaper wages was not the only benefit of China for Mr.Moneybags.

China has also been building coal fueled power plants as if it was going out of style of course again with virtually no emissions restrictions.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by TarJak

Erudite of you to say what I was going to say. Most of the population start smoking at a fairly young age compared to western societies and there's still no stigma attached to smoking. Still some advertising od smokes and china tobacco actually sponsors schools. https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&s...hUc6BaFO1-x7EA

At some point the government over there may look at its health care budget and decide to start a campaign to cut down on the number of people who need care due to lung cancer. The smog and brown coal industry probably don't help either.

It all contributes certainly. Here it is black lung for the coal minors. Asbestos is also a problem. I was a smoker (McBeck help me quit with a simple suggestion of purchasing a book about giving up smoking). But also, smoking is really frowned upon these days. Felt like a outcast. These contribute. Plus the cost was getting outrageous. As you suggested, smoking in that region is not frowned upon.

[Spoon 11th]

Who'd've thunk.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

McBeck help me quit with a simple suggestion of purchasing a book about giving up smoking.

Well done to both of you.

[the_tyrant]

Not surprised, nearly all of my dad's friends have lung disorders. In fact, 2 of my uncles passed away because of lung cancer.


A big reason why lung cancer cases are soaring, is actually because of China's aging heating system. Every city in northern china has centralized heating in the apartment buildings.

Most of these furnaces are still fueled by coal! They cause a huge amount of pollution, and when some cities finally switched to natural gas, the air quality instantly shot up.