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nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

hard to choose just one but from what I've seen so far, I'd say that Spain, France, China, Morocco and Mexico would give each other a nice competition for the title of "Ashtray of the World"

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Don't forget Turkey. If I don't smoke in my classes my students think I'm ill.

Chris_Crossley · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:05 am Post subject: Smoking men in China

China does it well enough for me.

The "only" way in which pock-marked, gnarled, middle-aged Chinese men can prove that they are men is by smoking and smoking and smoking and smoking and smoking and smoking and ..... Mad

You get my point, I'm sure. That's why people who may be 40 look at least 60 or over. Perhaps this is their way of wangling an early retirement, not to mention an early grave?

Cardinal Synn · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 586

Indonesia. Especially with their clove ciggies - extra cancer power and very cheap.

juststeven · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 117

The Middle East. Chain smoking, lighting one off the other. You can buy a pack of American smokes in the UAE for $1.27. I'm confused!

Sandpiper · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 9 Location: California

Eastern Europe comes in strong. I'm a non-smoker and couldn't stand being around puffs of smoke. Then I lived in Latvia for a year and now it doesn't bother me at all.

peabody · Joined: 19 Dec 2004 Posts: 76 Location: sydney

Twisting in the Wind · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 571 Location: Purgatory

I haven't heard Vietnam mentioned yet. Vietnamese smoke like CHIMNEYS!

anthyp · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 1320 Location: Chicago, IL USA

There are warnings on the packs here in China, yeah ...

They don't seem to be working -- everybody's smoking. In the restaurants, in the bars. In the teaching buildings, during the breaks. In the goddamn hospitals, if you can believe it (though in fairness that was only the patients, I've never actually seen a doctor light up there).

I think part of the "problem" (if you're squeamish about such matters) is the cheap - ass cost of smokes in these countries. I could get Lucky Strikes for two bucks in Prague. Here you can buy a pack of the local stuff (which is actually pretty good) for even less, just over a dollar.

Anyway, that's my excuse.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I would also vote Indonesia or any Arab country (been to Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Sudan). The Central Asian nations of those -istans never are far behind either. China? To some extent - in the East; Guangdong is fairly "civilised" with men now stubbing out their nciggies when boarding aircon buses though I noticed that smoking is often done even by drivers in and around Shanghai...

France? Yes, I remember people demonstrativerly lighting up in a McDonald's in Lyon a few years ago just after "les repressailles contres les fumeurs" were started.

peabody · Joined: 19 Dec 2004 Posts: 76 Location: sydney

Professor Moriarty · Joined: 02 Jan 2005 Posts: 39 Location: The Overlook

mcNug · Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 83 Location: HK

Deconstructor · Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 775 Location: Montreal

Outside of North America people smoke a great deal. Wherever I�ve gone I've found cigarettes almost constantly hanging from people's lips.

The problem is that cigarette companies can push their drug easier in places where they're not controlled as stringently as in North America, but I guess most people know this already.