Smoking rates by country

[buginme2]

Countries with the highest rates of smoking are in Eastern Europe and Russia.

The US, Western Europe and Australia are in the middle.

India, has a very low rate of smoking. 

Interesting to see how the smoking rate differs

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/10/19/who-smokes-most-a-surprising-map-of-smoking-rates-by-country/

[zach]

be interesting to compare those numbers against other "vices"

india may have a lower rate of smoking corporate manufactured cigarettes, but i'm betting smoking beedies and chewing betel nut is more prevalent.

edited to add... btw, thanks for your tag line about ted.com, it's become a new addiction for me.

[tednlou2]

And, what about Hookah smoking.  I thought China would have been higher.  Even here in tobacco Kentucky, I've noticed a decrease in smokers you see in their cars or smoking outside a store entrance.  Many have quit or cut back.  Many smokers I know won't smoke in their cars or houses.  Others have become closet smokers. 

Don't get me wrong, you'll find plenty of smokers here.  Just saying there's been a big decrease.  And, we have some of the cheapest.  Think a carton is about $45 here.  I remember when they were like $12 a carton here in the mid-90's.

[buginme2]

Thats just it, how can people afford to smoke.  Here in Seattle cigaretts are like $9.50 a pack.  If you smoke a pack a day thats $3400 a year. 

[spacebarsux]

india may have a lower rate of smoking corporate manufactured cigarettes, but i'm betting smoking beedies and chewing betel nut is more prevalent.

Spot on. I doubt this survey defines "cigarette" widely enough to include all tobacco smoking and chewing items. 

Beedis are smoked very widely. It's basically tobacco wrapped up in a dry leaf, a sort of filter-less cigarette. Also many people chew tobacco in their "paan" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paan) which  can cause mouth cancers.