June 1 marked the formal implementation of Beijing's “strictest,” tobacco regulations to date. The new regulations ban smoking in a number of public spaces including office buildings, entertainment venues and public transport queues. On top of this, smokers caught flouting the rules can be fined.
On May 7, the Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation issued a plan to raise taxes on cigarettes. The tax rate for wholesale cigarettes will be raised from 5% to 11%. Cigarette wholesalers must also pay an extra 0.005 Yuan per cigarette sold.
In raising cigarette taxes, the government hopes to curb the number of smokers in China. However, there is a long road ahead if the government wishes to fully control China's smoking problem.
Despite trying to control tobacco use, cigarette production in China increased by 39% from 2004 to 2014. In 2014, China produced 2.609805 trillion cigarettes. In Beijing alone, cigarette production from 2004 to 2013 by 62%.
There are two ways to create truly effective tobacco control, experts say. First, there should be fines and tax increases to deter smokers. Second, the production and sale of tobacco products should be strictly controlled.
Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Tobacco Control Office said that China is the world's largest producer and consumer of tobacco.
There are more than 300 million smokers in China- 28.1% of Chinese adults smoke regularly, and about half of Chinese men are smokers.
More than 100 million Chinese die each year from tobacco-related diseases, and the number of smokers in China continues to increase.
Beijing has about 4.19 million smokers and 18 million non-smokers. However, 10 million of the city's non-smokers are exposed daily to secondhand smoke.
Overall, in China today, the prospects for controlling tobacco use are not optimistic.
Source: baidu.com
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Keywords: Beijing smoking ban smoking in China China cigarette tax
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The real question is how much will a pack of Hongmei cost now?
Jun 02, 2015 07:36 Report Abuse
My colleague is smoking right in the open as I'm reading this.
Jun 02, 2015 00:31 Report Abuse
More than 100 million die due to tobacco use in China? Is this correct? That's like twice the population of my country... dying each year. Damn! That's a pretty damn big problem you got there China!
Jun 01, 2015 18:58 Report Abuse
I can't help but suspect that tobacco is a convenient way for China to hide its other problem. I have to imagine Chinese autopsy reports that read something like, 'This guy's lungs are full of tar. He must have been breathing shit his whole life...because he is a SMOKER!' And then giving no other reason.
Jun 01, 2015 19:08 Report Abuse
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