China Sez: Everyone must smoke to save the economy

dazedcola · 05.05.2009, 10:10 PM

in the latest installment of wtf news.....

LOCAL government officials in China have been ordered to smoke nearly a quarter of a million packets of cigarettes to boost the local economy during the global financial crisis.

The edict, issued by officials in Hubei Province, in central China, threatens to fine officials who "fail to meet their targets" or are caught smoking rival brands manufactured in neighbouring provinces.

Even local schools have been given a smoking quota for teachers, while one village was ordered to buy 400 cartons of cigarettes a year for its officials.
The edict, which flies in the face of national anti-smoking policies from Beijing, is aimed at increasing tax revenue.
In total, officials have been ordered to puff their way through 230,000 packs of Hubei-branded cigarettes worth about $812,000.

However the order was reported to have been rescinded yesterday. A notice on the Gongan government web site said the rule was introduced in March in an effort to crack down on fake cigarettes and illegal cigarette smuggling in the area, which is causing the government to lose revenue, but said it decided to scrap the edict since the article appeared. It did not elaborate.

Tobacco sales, the biggest source of government revenue, brought in $A82.4 billion in the first 11 months of 2008, up 18 per cent from 2007, according to the Communist Party's People's Daily newspaper. About 2000 people a day die from smoking-related illnesses.

maybe obama will adopt this policy we all know hes a smoker anyway.

ZEROpumpkins · 05.06.2009, 12:56 AM

Obama only smokes MJ, dawg.

shentov · 05.06.2009, 03:17 AM

diskaholic-anonymous · 05.06.2009, 04:14 AM

let's take a break.

Dr. Eugene Felikson · 05.06.2009, 08:37 AM

Man, China is making us look like total squares!

floatingslowly · 05.06.2009, 08:45 AM

this isn't shocking because everyone in china smokes.

I prefer Lucky Dragons, myself.

Lucky Dragons: a MAN'S smoke.

atsonicpark · 05.06.2009, 10:15 AM

atsonicpark · 05.06.2009, 10:15 AM

atsonicpark · 05.06.2009, 10:15 AM

Kloriel · 05.06.2009, 10:25 AM

hang the buddhas! & the beanie babies

Lurker · 05.06.2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

Smoking makes your eyes pixelated!

05.05.2009, 10:10 PM	#1
dazedcola the end of the ugly Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,075	in the latest installment of wtf news..... LOCAL government officials in China have been ordered to smoke nearly a quarter of a million packets of cigarettes to boost the local economy during the global financial crisis. The edict, issued by officials in Hubei Province, in central China, threatens to fine officials who "fail to meet their targets" or are caught smoking rival brands manufactured in neighbouring provinces. Even local schools have been given a smoking quota for teachers, while one village was ordered to buy 400 cartons of cigarettes a year for its officials. The edict, which flies in the face of national anti-smoking policies from Beijing, is aimed at increasing tax revenue. In total, officials have been ordered to puff their way through 230,000 packs of Hubei-branded cigarettes worth about $812,000. However the order was reported to have been rescinded yesterday. A notice on the Gongan government web site said the rule was introduced in March in an effort to crack down on fake cigarettes and illegal cigarette smuggling in the area, which is causing the government to lose revenue, but said it decided to scrap the edict since the article appeared. It did not elaborate. Tobacco sales, the biggest source of government revenue, brought in $A82.4 billion in the first 11 months of 2008, up 18 per cent from 2007, according to the Communist Party's People's Daily newspaper. About 2000 people a day die from smoking-related illnesses. maybe obama will adopt this policy we all know hes a smoker anyway. __________________ "I said I didnt mean to take up all your sweet time Ill give it right back one of these days If I dont meet you no more in this world then uh Ill meet ya on the next one And dont be late " -Jimi Hendrix ...And me just another dream theory, lost inside your eye "when my mind's uncertain my body decides what it will do to get through the hell of the night as I trip on the ocean that leads through your eyes well my eyes can't wait til they finally see through you"
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05.06.2009, 12:56 AM	#2
ZEROpumpkins invito al cielo Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 6,157	Obama only smokes MJ, dawg. __________________
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05.06.2009, 03:17 AM	#3
shentov expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 1,223	cool __________________
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05.06.2009, 04:14 AM	#4
diskaholic-anonymous stalker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: experimental sonic fields of lisbon Posts: 403	let's take a break.
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05.06.2009, 08:37 AM	#5
Dr. Eugene Felikson invito al cielo Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7,570	Man, China is making us look like total squares!
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05.06.2009, 08:45 AM	#6
floatingslowly invito al cielo Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 21,165	this isn't shocking because everyone in china smokes. I prefer Lucky Dragons, myself. Lucky Dragons: a MAN'S smoke.
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05.06.2009, 10:15 AM	#7
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	__________________
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05.06.2009, 10:25 AM	#10
Kloriel expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,554	hang the buddhas! & the beanie babies
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