Fight Tobacco

[Hong XQ]

Ok no one has mentioned this yet so I will:

In many countries in Europe now, smoking is entirely banned in public places (ie train stations) AND SHOPS meaning restaurants bars etc. In practise this means if you wanted to have a KTV, it would have to be declared as a private association of people, who gather just because they are friends, and not as a business. No business is allowed to have smoking in its walls, except crammed in designated areas of a ridiculously low volume which is set by the law. Also requires ludicrously expensive smoke extraction device up to some exacting norm. This makes being a non smoker so much easier, as the only way you can ever get your clothes and hair reeking of others' smoke anymore is by purposefully visiting your now-backwards smoker friends who will not go to to their window in their house and hold on to their prerogative of smoking out guests in their house (you can watch this change as they have kids..), since it's the only place they have it left to do. Really works a lot to get tobacco stigmatized and out of the customs, methinks. Expect bar owners to put up a fight, and fine them extra heavily (even if you think taxing poor smokers is unfair, surely you dont object to taking money from filthy rich bar owners)!

[muyongshi]

Many states in the US have adopted similar policies. I think we will see it happen FASTER in China than we ever did in the West.

[xianhua]

I hope this has restored your social status?

Exonerated.

I'll get back to my copy of The Sun...

[skylee]

In Hong Kong, which is part of China in case you are not aware of it, smoking is banned in all public indoor places. Which means you are not allowed to smoke in office buildings, shopping malls, public transport, restaurants, etc. That is why you see people smoking by a rubbish bin on the street. And I was a bit surprised to note that there was a smoking room in the airport, and a balcony for smokers in a building in Kowloon Tong.

AFAIK most people (except smokers, I guess) like this arrangement.

[Outofin]

According to common observation, many become mature when they have children. They become responsible and protective. Dads quit smoking and moms are more aggressive on their non-smoker’s rights. Most of my friends have quit. But I think the decision is very difficult for some careers. And tobacco is addictive to a portion of population.

[mcgau]

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

Yes, in Yuxi (王溪) of Yunan province, smoking is always put under the positive light. You can see a lot of sculpture of figures like Lu Xun, . The description implicitly suggests that smoking helped to make their works. I've heard that local schools also tend not to discourage smoking. Instead, they teach their children about the contribution of tobacco to the local economy and these kids can often see the benefit from it. Many scholarship and schools are funded by these companies.

But i don't think the economy of tabacco producing areas are really a big problem. The reserve of such a huge country can be good enough to subside just a few tobacco producing areas. In Yunnan, similar arguments were heard when the gov't decided to take down opium industry in early 90s, but nothing could stop the devastation of these farmlands. It was not only done by the local gov't , but also got 'help' from the army and caused extraordinarily huge casualty. (local figure said more than 1000 were killed during the raid at that time. The whole villages were destroyed. )

It is just not a top priority.

[flywhc]

I believe most Chinese smoke because social reason.

It is a key to improve relationship and get trusted especially during business or political conversation.

Smoking is considered as a way to show you are kind, like to share, even mature.

My father was a heavy smoker my family tried persuading him quit smoking but he always said he couldn't work with people without cigarette. However he stopped smoking after his retirement.

It is a really bad culture. Most people in government are smokers and cigarette is the way to get themselves trusted by senior leaders even bribery.

[Meng Lelan]

It is a really bad culture. Most people in government are smokers and cigarette is the way to get themselves trusted by senior leaders even bribery.

Yes.

That's why I tell people I love the Chinese language but I don't love the culture.

[flywhc]

That's why I tell people I love the Chinese language but I don't love the culture.

Well, Chinese culture does have many good things, especially traditional culture.

Chinese like sharing things, such as food, which is good. When cigarette was introduced into china, it became a bad culture. I hope there is someway to change this part of culture, to make people think smokers are symbol of "bad people".

Chinese President Hu and former president Jiang, PM Wen Jiabao are all not smoker, which is a good start.

[Meng Lelan]

Chinese President Hu and former president Jiang, PM Wen Jiabao are all not smoker, which is a good start.

I don't know. It could be they don't smoke in front of the cameras but away from the cameras they could be smoking.

[gougou]

It could be they don't smoke in front of the cameras but away from the cameras they could be smoking.

But that's a great start, isn't it? Whether they are non-smokers or just perceived as such, either way they will not convey the message that smoking is cool (well, I guess Jiang Zemin could not really convey the coolness of anything to start with...)

[bniu1]

when i go visit my relatives, I hate the smoking. I hate it so much that I will sacrifice face to throw away their cigarettes and pay them for those cigarettes (pocket change in US dollars). Some of them told me that if I started smoking, I could get thinner. I responded that if that were true, i'd rather stay overweight. I don't really care that much about face nor do I care much about what others think of me, though that does not imply that I should go act like an idiot.

Another thing to consider. they spit phlegm a lot! Maybe they outta learn that less smoking == less phlegm. Kill two birds with one stone!

Though to their credit, younger chinese boys are starting to abstain from smoking. I know my cousin won't allow her boyfriend to go near cigarettes. Maybe the women are more empowered these days and actually controlling their men...