Experts call 'less harmful cigarettes' deceptive marketing strategy

BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Experts on Tuesday dismissed the concept that "low-tar cigarettes are less harmful" as a deceptive marketing gimmick.

At an anti-tobacco seminar held by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the anti-smoking advocacy group ThinkTank in Beijing, experts said research by Xie Jianping, a tobacco research academic, was a deception sugar-coated in science and, therefore, very harmful to public health.

They urged authorities to remove Xie from his seat at the elite Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Xie, who has worked for a tobacco research institute under the China National Tobacco Corporation (China Tobacco) for decades, has been the subject of controversy since he was honored with a seat in the CAE in December 2011.

Xie has won several national awards for his research in the tobacco industry, which has been been the subject of fierce debate among the public and in the media.

Xie's research focuses on low-tar and herbal cigarettes, which his institute claims are less harmful than conventional tobacco products.

Experts at the seminar countered his claims by pointing out that his research features a number of errors in terms of its direction, methodology and conclusions.

We Recommend:
2012 year in review: Steps of growth	2012 year in review: Say goodbye	2012 in review: Questions on responsibility
China’s weekly story (2012.12.27-2013.1.4)	New Year Wishes from left-behind children	Kazak's wonderful falcon game in Xinjiang
Food is the paramount necessity of life	Dense fog causes serious air pollution	Twisted, ugly ‘Tower of Large Intestine’ found