Men Smoke More in What Country Than Any Other?

In a survey released on Tuesday, one country claimed honors as the home to the most male smokers.

So, what's the lucky nation?

Come on down, Indonesia! The survey found that two out of every three Indonesian men light up, with many of the tobacco users being teenagers and young children. By comparison, only three percent of Indonesian women smoke.

Indonesia finished second only to Russia in overall smoking rates, with the Eastern European country having a 39 percent rate. In Indonesia, 35 percent of all people smoke.

So, why are there so many smokers in Indonesia?

One main reason is because of the prevalence and cheap cost of tobacco. Indonesia has a history of lax tobacco controls and there is no shortage of advertising and sponsorships. It is still one of the few nations that have yet to sign the World Health Organization's tobacco treaty.

According to Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi, the government has "failed in protecting our people." Since 1995, the rate of male smokers has jumped up 53 percent.

"We have been defeated by the tobacco industry...we don't want this, we cannot accept this because our job is to protect people from cigarettes," said Mboi.

The series of tobacco surveys, sponsored by both the WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, polled some of the top smoking nations in the world. The list includes Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam.

[AP]