Fight Tobacco

[Outofin]

This is the kind of topic about how to make the world a better place, and social psychological analysis.

The problem is obvious: Chinese smoke too much. And I’d like to hear some innovative ideas of how to fight against tobacco, and why tobacco is so hard to fight against (well, that’s very discouraging.)

I'll start with myself. I'm no stranger to smoking. I was a light smoker. My friend in highshool gave me my first cigarette, and I liked it. It’s soothing and calming and creates good relationship between folks. It's good in every way except harmful to health. I quit because the habit was bad, and it’s very hard to find a place to smoke in the US. Much ado to the anti-tobacco culture here. Any thoughts?

[skylee]

It's hard to ban because banning would hurt the tobacco companies/industry and the economy of the tobacco producing areas (Yunnan?).

And some people believe that smoking is good for socialising, that it looks cool, and that it makes them thin. All of them are not untrue, as long as you don't look at how much harm it does to one's health. Smoking kills. And it brings a burden to the health care system. I am not sure why the Chinese Government doesn't seem to care much. Maybe there are just too many smokers and the Government lacks the determination to do anything to ban it. Or maybe there are just so many issues in the country that it doesn't get the priority. Or maybe there are just so many people in China and nobody really cares having some killed by smoking. Or maybe the money spent on health care is nothing compared to the profits of the tobacco industry.

It is a culture thing. You need to spend like 20 years to make the younger generation aware of the danger and then 20 years more to make their children not pick up smoking. Meanwhile if the government want they might make up some laws to ban it.

Create and promote an unharmful alternative that is equally addictive, that looks just as cool and works just as well to control weight. People might then quit smoking. I wonder what that alternative would be.

[Guittar]

In the US we TAX tobacco heavily, using the money for anti smoking education, ads etc. Just being around smoke or in smoky rooms is still extremely bad for your health. That is why restaurants and bars (all public buildings) ban smoking. Step 1 is to make people aware how bad smoking is for you. Then Tax. Could a country like China suddenly just ban all smoking, like for example, Putin did with gambling in Russia?

[Xiwang]

Anti-smoking messages based on health facts has its limits. How about a long-term advertising campaign by hot young Chinese actresses and pop singers saying that they think people who smoke are stupid and unattractive (and implying that they would only date non-smokers)?

A few weeks ago, I was having dinner in a restaurant near the Russian embassy when a couple of attractive young women came in to give out free samples of a Chinese cigarette. Sex sells. Let's try it selling sex from the anti- side for a change.

[muyongshi]

It's hard to ban because banning would hurt the tobacco companies/industry and the economy of the tobacco producing areas (Yunnan?).

And Mianyang!! Sorry random note

Actually the biggest problem as many people have pointed out about the socializing thing is that most of the government officials are so heavy into smoking themselves. The guys that would have to put the ban of whatever sort into effect wouldn't be able to follow probably themselves.

[Meng Lelan]

Actually the biggest problem as many people have pointed out about the socializing thing is that most of the government officials are so heavy into smoking themselves. The guys that would have to put the ban of whatever sort into effect wouldn't be able to follow probably themselves.

I was thinking exactly the same thing, see how muyongshi can read my mind. Excellent telepathy skills.

Well anyway, President Obama has shown it can be done, he smoked until he got to be President. But that's the United States, everyone even the President has to conform to public policy.

What would work is sexy Chinese girls promoting non-smoking. By the way is it still that Chinese females in general do not smoke?

[gougou]

I am not sure why the Chinese Government doesn't seem to care much.

I think profits from tobacco (or the tax on it, I forget) go to the military, no?

[muyongshi]

even the President has to conform to public policy.

100 bucks says he's still a closet smoker Sarcasm. Politics is about appearances as we all know.

What would work is sexy Chinese girls promoting non-smoking. By the way is it still that Chinese females in general do not smoke?

It's still for the most part that girls don't smoke. I mean there are plenty of exceptions- i think most KTV girls do.

What I do think would work is that due to the under availability of women in China (the whole male/female imbalance) is that if you got all the women to realize that in a sense the future of the society is their hands and they could call the shots by in essence denying sex to anyone who doesn't conform to their "standards" you could do a lot of things- including curb smoking habits. Every women just agrees they won't marry/sleep with anyone who smokes and kazaam- overnight reformation.

[Meng Lelan]

muyongshi you ought to be president of China. Great policy making. you go you.

[Outofin]

Cigarettes help socializing for some practical reasons. They are small enough that you can have one pack in your pocket. And you can take it out and share with people anytime anywhere. Sharing a supposedly good thing, which is in fact not a good thing as we know, creates an intimate feeling among people.

I can’t think of an alternative for this social custom. Obviously you can’t use a bottle of wine, because it’s not easy to carry. And you don’t want to share candies with people, even though they’re small enough. And eating too many candies everyday isn’t any better than smoking.

And smoking is often a good excuse to have a private talk. Say during a dinner, a few people can leave the table to find a place to smoke and chat. They become an exclusive club. Again, the keyword is intimate feeling. When others ask about these smokers, the conversation goes like:

A: Hey, where did they go? (Or, what are those guys doing?)

B: They are smoking.

If there is no smoking, only a few guys chatting in the hallway or some corner. People will wonder

A: Hey, what are those guys doing?

B: I have no idea what the heck they’re doing, and I don’t want to know.

You see. It becomes very awkward.

[Meng Lelan]

Yeah, the private talk being about when and how they're getting lung cancer, emphysema, stuff like that. Lots of intimate feelings about that.

[DrWatson]

Tax it like it is in Canada and I think you'd see less people smoking.

[muyongshi]

I for the most part agree. Financial incentive is a great discourager. Very careful pick of my words. It is a great discourager.

[skylee]

Any scientists / companies researching healthy tobacco? If there are non-alcoholic beers then there could be healthy tobacco, I think.

[zhwj]

Another aspect of tobacco culture in China is its use as a gift (or bribe). There's a lengthy feature in the current issue of 中国周刊 on premium cigarettes, the 天价烟 that can cost something like 10 yuan or more per cigarette, and which produce a storm of protest when officials are photographed in meetings smoking them (or being supplied with them). Here's one article from the feature.

[HashiriKata]

In the UK, tabacco is heavily taxed and very expensive (aound £6 for a pack of 20, if I remember correctly) and yet it's those who are less likely to afford it smoke. In fact, you can say that in the UK smoking is a class thing: most smokers are from the working class. I also notice that there are as many, if not more, female smokers as male.

[imron]

Haha, increase the tax on cigarettes, and they become an even more luxurious "gift".

[xianhua]

In fact, you can say that in the UK smoking is a class thing: most smokers are from the working class

Speaking as a former smoker I reckon I've been demoted a social notch here.

I found lollipops were the key to giving up - seriously. The act of holding something and then raising it to the mouth at intermittent periods was second only to the withdrawal of nicotine.

Therefore, if Xi Jinping is reading, may I suggest a nationwide distribution of lollipops should be of paramount importance after taking office. Yellow for cadres, red for workers...

[vampire]

tax it heavily isnt a good idea at all, most smokers are of low income, this will cause more social problem. there are many bigger issues waiting to be solved, lets just say the pollution of environment, it's much much more harmful to people's health, smoking issue is not of high priority.

[HashiriKata]

Speaking as a former smoker I reckon I've been demoted a social notch here.

Sorry that I was not more explicit in my earlier comment: smokers from other social classes would (try to) give up smoking at one time or another.

(I hope this has restored your social status? )