Tobacco sales in China have fallen for the first time in two decades as the Beijing Government 's health drive and the rise in excise taxes take effect . Historically , China bucked the trend in falling tobacco volumes , however , its consumption has dropped 2.4 % , the equivalent of around 60bn cigarettes , bringing down global volumes . China accounts for 45 % of all cigarettes smoked globally , with more than half of its adult male population identified as smoking ; the World Health Organisation says that each year smoking - linked diseases account for one million deaths in the country .
Tobacco sales in China have fallen for the first time in two decades as the Beijing Government's health drive and the rise in excise taxes take effect. Historically, China bucked the trend in falling tobacco volumes, however, its consumption has dropped 2.4%, the equivalent of around 60bn cigarettes, bringing down global volumes. China accounts for 45% of all cigarettes smoked globally, with more than half of its adult male population classified as smokers; the World Health Organisation says that each year tobacco-linked illnesses account for one million deaths in the country.