Smoking in China

TLDR

China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of tobacco, has over 300 million male and 20 million female smokers, produces roughly 1.7 trillion cigarettes annually, and faces a growing epidemic that could cause 2 million smoking‑related deaths by 2025. China’s disease surveillance system shows an ongoing epidemic of tobacco‑related diseases. No additional information.

Abstract

S LARGEST PROducer and consumer of tobacco, China bears a substantial proportion of the global burden of smoking-related disease. 1 Of China's population of 1.2 billion, more than 300 million men and 20 million women are smokers, making China the world's largest actual and potential national market for cigarettes.In 1994 about 1.7 trillion cigarettes were produced in China and about 900 million were imported. 2The sales volume has grown steadily since 1981 (FIGURE 1) when economic reforms were initiated, and current sales of cigarettes are estimated at 1900 cigarettes per adult per year. 2 More than 1000 brands of cigarettes are available in China with average prices ranging from approximately 5 RMB ($0.63 per pack) in urban locations to 2 RMB ($0.25) in rural areas.Western brands tend to be more costly.The average smoker is estimated to spend about 25% of his/her income on cigarettes. 2 China is considered to be in an early stage of a tobacco epidemic, but the burden of disease attributable to smoking in China will assume greater prominence in coming years.It is estimated that deaths due to smoking will increase from about 1 million worldwide in 1995 to more than 7 million in 2025. 3At current smoking rates, by the year 2025, 2 million smoking-related deaths are predicted to occur in China, and at least 50 million Chinese smokers alive today are expected to die prematurely. 4Data from China's disease surveillance point (DSP) system indicate that China is experiencing an epidemic of diseases caused by tobacco. 5