[Tobacco consumption and behavior of the smokers in Jiangxi province]

To explore the behaviors of smokers as well as the tobacco consumption in Jiangxi province. Impact regarding the increases of tobacco retail price on the smoking behaviors among cigarette consumers was also studied. Data was provided for further development on measurements including legislation, taxing and increasing the retail price on tobacco.

805 residents above 15 year-olds were chosen through random clustered sampling, and face to face interviewed, in Shangrao and Yichun of Jiangxi province. A chart was drawn to show the relationship between the change of smoking behavior and the increase of sales price of tobacco.

The average rate of smoking was 27.08% (46.62% for males and 3.05% for females). 16.06% (35/218) of the smokers had ever tried to quit smoking but failed. The years of smoking ranged from 1 year to 50 years, with 96.33% of the smokers purchased cigarettes on their own. Price of the cigarette ranged from 15 to 30 RMB per package, and smokers usually spent on average 192 RMB which accounted 13% of their monthly income, per month. According to the chart, if the cigarette price had a 50% increase, it would lead to 45% of the smokers reduce the number of cigarette consumption with another 5% of the smokers attempt to quit smoking. If cigarette price had an increase by 2 times, 50% of the smokers would attempt to quit smoking. So the chart could be used to estimate the percentage of smokers' behavior change according to the increase of tobacco's sales price.

The economy burden of tobacco consumption among cigarette smokers was huge, suggesting that the Chinese smokers did need to change their smoking behavior. Chinese government should develop tobacco-related legislation and laws and set proper cigarette tax, hopefully this could reduce the number of smokers in a long run.