Young Chinese Want Air, State Wants Money: The Smoking War Stirs China

China, which consumes about half of the world's cigarettes, is experiencing a wave of confrontations between young people and smokers in public places. The state tobacco monopoly, which accounts for 7% of government revenue, blocks anti-smoking legislation, and enforcement is almost nonexistent. Activists who complain are silenced on social media.

China, which consumes about half of the world's cigarettes, is experiencing a wave of confrontations between young people and smokers in public places. The younger generation refuses to stay silent in the face of forced smoking, and social media amplifies the resonance. Last June, a man in Shanghai was injured in a brawl at a restaurant after trying to protect his pregnant wife from smoke. The main obstacle is the Chinese tobacco monopoly, which acts as a regulator and operates the state cigarette manufacturer. The company's profits and tobacco taxes constitute 7% of China's annual revenue, an amount equivalent to the defense budget. This conflict of interest, along with tightened control, silences anti-smoking campaigns. Citizens who complain find themselves helpless, like Zhang, whose accounts were silenced and removed.