That’s a lot of zero (12 in fact) and it reads: 2 thousand billion or 2 trillion.
The number of cigarettes smoked in China annually. That’s roughly 80 packs per every man, woman, and child in China a year.
Assuming women and children don’t smoke? Then the average Chinese man smokes continuously for about two thirds of the year!!! (Source:cityweekend.com)
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| Available at every street corner |
Update from China Daily (30.05.2007)
“China to make Olympics a smoke-free zone”
China would enforce a ban on smoking in public places; a Health Ministry official told a news conference on Monday, with those places that offer services to children a top concern.
"Smoking will be banned at all Olympic-designated hospitals by the end of 2007," Xinhua news agency quoted Zhang Bin as saying. The ban would also apply to public transport and in offices […]
The ministry's vow comes as Beijing passes the 10th anniversary of its ban on smoking in public places. (I didn’t notice that such a ban existed)
China is the world's largest producer and consumer of cigarettes. Tax on cigarettes contributed 159 billion yuan ($19.8 billion) to the government in 2005, around 5 percent of fiscal revenues.
