title: China at the crossroads: the economics of tobacco and health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse economic aspects of tobacco control policy issues in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Published and collected survey data were used to analyse economic consequences of smoking. Economic analysis was used to address the role of tobacco farmers and the cigarette industry in the Chinese economy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the agricultural sector, tobacco has the lowest economic rate of return of all cash crops. At the same time, the tobacco industry's tax contribution to the central government has been declining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Economic gains become less important as the negative health impact of smoking on the population garners more awareness. China stands at a crossroads to implement the economic promises of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and promote the health of its population.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. thu@berkeley.edu
authors.forename: T-W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Beyer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yurekli
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D003906:Developing Countries; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D013660:Taxes; D019460:Tobacco Industry