Russians Are Heavy Smokers

choi

Lukas I Alpert, Kremlin Cracks Down on Big Tobacco; Russia, the world's second-largest cigarette market after China, plans 'harsh' anti-smoking rules. Wall Street Journal, Oct 16, 2012.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB ... 58201182906048.html

Quote:

"world's big four tobacco companies [] control 90% of the Russian market.

"In Russia, cigarettes cost a little over a dollar a pack, restaurants and bars are normally thick with smoke, and nearly 40% of the population (60% of men) light up.

"Overall, Russians smoke 390 billion cigarettes a year, second only to China, and outpacing the U.S.—which has double the population and about the same number of smokers—by 20%.


My comment:
(a) Regarding quotation 1. The pie chart that accompanies the report demonstrates: "Market share in Russia[:] Japan Tobacco 37%, Philip Morris 25%, British American Tobacco 20%, Others 18%."
(b) A table (appearing online only) with a heading "World Smoking Habits" shows
(i) .....................Average Number of Cigarettes Smoked Per Capita ................Average Price Per Pack
China................1,71 .....................................................................................$2.25
Germany ..........1,045 ...................................................................................$6.86
Great Britain ......750 ...................................................................................$10.99
Japan ..............1,841 ....................................................................................$5.34
Russia .............2,786 ....................................................................................$1.74
United States ..1,028 ....................................................................................$6.36
(ii) There is no comparable data for Taiwan or France.

(c) The report says, "Big Tobacco isn't going down without a fight."

go down: "phrasal verb[;] to lose or be defeated"
Cambridge Dictionaries Online, undated.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/go-down_5