Efforts to curb smoking in China should start from the supply side, because restricting the production of cigarettes is a very effective way of reducing smoking. If authorities close down 50 percent of the existing tobacco factories, the sale of cigarettes could be halved.

Another way to curb smoking is to increase the prices of cigarettes and/or raise the tax on them.

Once buying cigarettes becomes a heavy economic burden, many people will give up the unhealthy habit or reduce smoking significantly. So the best way to reduce smoking is for the government to implement restrictive policies on the making and sale of cigarettes.

Du Zhenhua, via e-mail

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(China Daily 01/12/2011 page9)