World No Tobacco Day flags China's online ads

May 31st marks World No Tobacco Day. This year's theme is banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Our reporter Neela Eyunni looks at how China's online tobacco ads are sparking criticism among some.

"No smoking." It's a sign increasingly displayed around China as the country steps up efforts to fight tobacco use. But China's battle against lighting up has often been two steps forward and one step back. As health advocacy groups ramp up their efforts to deter smoking, tobacco companies are finding new ways to market their products.

The theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day highlights this problem. The World Health Organization is calling for a complete ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

While China banned tobacco ads on traditional media almost two decades ago, tobacco companies are now turning to the Internet.

He Hui, Professor of Communication University of China, said, "I think tobacco companies are relying on the Internet for marketing because there are no laws preventing them from advertising online. It's also more difficult for the government to control content online and determine if someone is posting material independently or is working for a tobacco company."

The strategy is even more significant given China's soaring number of Internet users.

China is home to the largest number of Internet users in the world. By advertising online, tobacco companies can reach more than 560 million Internet users on the Chinese mainland.

A recent study by the ThinkTank Research Center for Health Development found that tobacco companies are also starting to use social networking platforms like Weibo and Wechat.

Director of the center, Wu Yiqun, says these ads wrongly target young people.

Wu Yiqun, Director of Thinktank Research Center for Health Development, said, "Social media platforms like Weibo and Wechat are available 24 hours a day. China's young generation is the one using them. Tobacco companies also have a lot of resources to make their social media sites attractive to young net users."

Wu says putting an end to this type of marketing strategy requires not only broadening the law but also mobilizing the public.

"The best immediate action is to expand the law. But people also need to become watchdogs and monitor what tobacco companies are doing." Wu said.

So while China has ramped up efforts to combat smoking it may take much more to win the fight with technology now changing the battlefield.