MILLIONS IN SMOKE

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1947, Page 5

MILLIONS IN SMOKE

BRITISH EXPENDITURE ON TOBACCO [N.Z.P.A. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT] LONDON, Feb. 7. _ The amount of dollars Britain is spending on tobacco lately has attracted attention. It is estimated that this year about £40,000,000 worth will go up in cigarette and pipe smoke. People are smoking more than before the war. In 1938 about 72,000,000 cigarettes and 736,000,0000 z of pipe tobacco were smoked. The estimated figures for this year are: Cigarettes, 102,000,000; pipe tobacco, 980,000,000 oz. 1 • When the subject was discussed in the House of Commons recently, it was stated that films and tobaccd amounted to 40 per cent, of Britain’s imports from America, and that tobacco consumption was now 103 per cent, of the pre-war figure. In reply to questions, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Dr. Hugh: Dalton) indicated that little could be; done about it other than perhaps a national appeal to economise, particularly on tobacco. Referring to. films, he indicated that the position would remain much the same until British productions increased.