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Taiwan has moved closer to becoming a smoke-free country by lowering cigarette sales by 13 percent over the past year

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Kevin Anthony Stoda
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TAIWAN AND THE DECLINE OF SMOKING

 

By Kevin Stoda, Taiwan

 

Taiwan is not the only country to have stiff anti-smoking laws.   Nor is it alone in Asia in creating and carrying out strong anti-smoking campaigns among its populace, but Taiwan does appear--from my perspective--to have significantly reduced smoking and has created a near zero-tolerance level among many populations of the country.   (I have taught in ten countries and I have never seen such a reduction in smoking anywhere in such a short period of time.)

 

Let me clarify.   When I visited Taipei in 1992, I observed no significant difference between the smoking levels in Taipei City, Tokyo nor Hong Kong.   The only country in Asia that appeared to have much restriction on smoking at that time, e.g. especially in and around its metros of subways, was, of course, Singapore.   However, since 2004, both tiny Bhutan and Taiwan have been leading the way in Asia, in terms of anti-smoking campaigns, implementation of strong anti-smoking laws, and carrying out crack-downs in the popular media.

 

Who says that having a patriarchal government doesn't have benefits?

 

Adults here in Taiwan claim that the biggest obstacle to smoking is a tax rate of 20 to 25% on cigarettes and tobacco products, but I beleive the shift over the last twenty years to be more likely due to the combination of taxes, legislation, and popular campaigns against smoking (and campaigns promoting better health).   For example, since I arrived to teach in Taiwan in August last year, I have been given no less than three T-shirts with "No-Smoking" printed on them to be worn at home or around the school.   Likewise, this last autumn all Taiwanese schools at all grade levels had anti-smoking campaigns or, at least, offered educational programs.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_Taiwan

 

click here

 

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KEVIN STODA-has been blessed to have either traveled in or worked in nearly 100 countries on five continents over the past two and a half decades.--He sees himself as a peace educator and have been-- a promoter of good economic and social development--making-him an enemy of my homelands humongous DEFENSE SPENDING and its focus on using weapons to try and solve global (more...)
 

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