Resource information
China has a very high prevalence rate of
cigarette smoking. According to a 1996 Chinese national
survey, 63% of adult males (age 15 and over) and 3.8% of
adult females were current smokers (Chinese Academy of
Preventive Medicine, 1997). These prevalence rates indicate
that there are over 320 million cigarette smokers in China,
which accounts for nearly one-third of the smokers in the
world (Collishaw, 1998). Moreover, it has been estimated
that there are 460 million second hand smokers in China
(Zhu, 1996). In other words, more than two-thirds of the
Chinese population in the country face health hazards that
can be attributed to smoking. Given the size of its smoking
population, China consumes more cigarettes than any other
country in the world. It also produces more cigarettes than
any other country. In 1997, China produced 33.67 million
cases or 84.18 billion packs (one case consists of 2,500
packs) of cigarettes and used 1.31 million hectares for
tobacco production (China Statistics Bureau, 1998). It is
well known in developed countries that cigarette smoking has
major hazardous health consequences. In past decades, many
developed countries have adopted various tobacco control
policies to reduce cigarette consumption. As a result, per
capita cigarette consumption in developed countries has been
declining. On the other hand, among developing countries
such as China, the negative health consequences of smoking
are less well known. For instance, in the 1996 Chinese
national survey, 61% of those questioned responded that
cigarette consumption posed no harm to their health (Chinese
Academy of Preventive Medicine, 1997). Many government
officials in the Ministry of Health and public health
professionals in China have recognized the importance of
tobacco control, and have made a substantial effort to
discourage cigarette consumption through a public health
campaign. However, they have been unable to convince the
State Development and Planning Commission and the Ministries
of Finance, Economics and Trade and Agriculture to support
tax increases as a means to control tobacco.
