BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Bruneians smoke the least of all the countries in the world with 9.676 cigarettes consumed per person per year, according to the latest version of Tobacco Atlas list compiled in collaboration with American Cancer Society.
According to local daily the Borneo Bulletin on Tuesday, Andorra tops the list with an estimated 6,398 cigarettes consumed per person per year. Next up is another nation in Europe, Luxembourg.
China, whose people smoke more than 40 percent of all cigarettes globally, sees a decline of cigarette use in recent years, but half of Chinese adult males continue to smoke cigarettes, Tobacco Atlas noted.
However, Haji Mohammad Isham, the sultanate's Minister of Health said in his message for World No Tobacco Day 2018 on May 31 that smoking is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases in the country.
The minister also said that a local survey in 2016 showed 20 percent or 50,000 to 60,000 people in the country aged between 18 to 69 are smokers.
"Smoking in Brunei is prohibited in all enclosed public and work places, including shopping and eating areas, bus stations and government buildings," a Ministry of Health official told Xinhua.
"Transboundary passengers will be charged with heavy duty on cigarettes," he added.