What if there was one thing that you could do that would guarantee your a financially free future, would you do it? Well, if you said yes then you need to begin creating multiple streams of passive income right away. Passive income is the key to unlimited wealth and financial freedom, and anyone can use this wealth building strategy to create a lifestyle that most only dream about. Passive income, two words that have the magic to change any financial situation into one that thrives.
Before we talk about what passive income is, let’s first make sure that we all understand what it means to be truly financially free. Many people think that they will become financially free when they get a better job, get a raise, or begin working for themselves. Sure, these things can give you more money, but money alone does not create freedom.In fact, many people who look financially free are not. They may have a lot of money, but they may be working huge hours every week and living check to check.
To be financially free in the truest sense, you must have all the money you need to live however you choose, but without the obligation to work. And this is where passive income comes in to the equation. Passive income is automatic income. When you have a stream of perpetual income that generates on its own, without you having to do anything, you have successfully created a stream of passive income. There are many ways that anyone can use to build passive streams of income. Some popular methods include website hosting, rental real estate, network marketing, automated offline businesses, royalties from books, coin operated machines, and online marketing. There are a lot of simple internet income sources that anyone can also use for passive income including affiliate programs, blogging, and social networking when done correctly.
It all starts with one source of passive income, and another, and another. Because each stream of income is automated, there is no limit to the amount of money you can eventually generate. And when you have enough ongoing income to pay for the lifestyle that you have chosen, you my friend are financially free. That means that you have an abundance of money and the free time to enjoy it fully. Therefore, to become financially free, you need to start with a goal. Your financial freedom goal will be to create enough passive income to pay for your desired lifestyle. Do not cut yourself short. How much money would you ultimately like to live on? That is your passive income destination.
Here are a couple easy ways to create passive income….
Create Your Own Digital Products-Anyone can package their information in a way that it can be sold online. You do not need a physical, tangible product to make money with internet marketing. You can write an ebook, design software, create e-cources, etc., and sell them through your own websites as well as through affiliate marketers.
Marketing Other Companies Products-Maybe you do not want all of the hassle of creating, packaging, and marketing your own digital products, but that is ok too. You can become an affiliate and sell other people stuff for a commission
Online MLM/Network Marketing-Similar to affiliate marketing is network marketing, also known as MLM. Despite the bad rap that MLM programs have gotten by many people, they really do offer huge earning potential for motivated entrepreneurs
Ben is a young entrepreneur who has several successful businesses under his belt, and enjoys sharing information on a wide range of business, financial, and entrepreneurial topics. Visit and the
As you may have noticed, passive income does not come without effort and time. You can invest money rather than time and energy, but unless you are already wealthy to an extent, you will not have enough to invest so that you could generate a substantial income. The alternative is to invest your time, energy, and attention, either into free or low cost business opportunities, or to budget and save your money if you choose to go the investment route later on. Many people are only able to work at their passive income ventures in their spare time, but even small time investments, over time, can accomplish anything. Often times it requires many month of planting and watering passive income seeds before the cash flow starts, which is why many people give in too soon.
But it’s worth it, no matter how much time it takes. The result is freedom. The freedom to live life without money worries. The freedom to live without the obligation to work, unless you want to. The freedom to do what you want, when you want. Financial freedom gives you the ability to live the way you really want to live without sacrifice, limitation, or obligation. Wealthy people understand and make use of the principle of passive income, and most of them earn money from a number of diverse sources. Some are huge streams of income and others are much smaller, but together they create a huge automatic income that leads to the building of unlimited wealth.
Developing a lifetime of wealth starts with a single passive income stream, and then another, and another. When your income is automatic, you do not trade time for money, therefore you can earn without limits. And when you have enough ongoing income to pay for the lifestyle that you have chosen, you my friend will have achieved financial freedom. That means that you have all the money you need and all the time you want to live life fully. Therefore, to become financially free, you need to start with a goal. Your financial freedom goal will be to create enough ongoing automated income to pay for your desired lifestyle. Do not cut yourself short. How much money would you ultimately like to enjoy spending each month? This number should be your goals for automatic income. See, wealth is not about a specific number, it’s a lifestyle. You choose the lifestyle you want, and when you are living it without worry of financial issues, you will be wealthy in the deepest sense.
Here are a few great ways to earn passive income if you are interested in getting started…
Make and Sell Your Own Information Products-Package and sell your own informational products. They are easy to create, and if you set up automatic systems like websites and mailing lists, you can sell them on complete autopilot.
Marketing Affiliate Products-Anyone can join free affiliate marketing programs and make money by earning affiliate commissions by promoting the products to others. Use a website and a mailing list to automated your .
Network Marketing-Multi level marketing has always been a great way top get rich, and doing mlm online is even more simple and profitable. Building a large residual income will be a huge asset for your financial freedom.
Ben is a young entrepreneur who has several successful businesses under his belt, and enjoys sharing information on a wide range of business, financial, and entrepreneurial topics. Visit and the
Automated passive income is a real key to financial freedom and the creation of unlimited wealth. Anyone can succeed financially when they learn and understand how to develop streams of perpetual income. The reason why most people are not more independent financially is because no one every taught them about the importance of it and how to create it. Those who are fortunate enough to learn about it are equipped with the tools they need to achieve lasting financial success. The beginning of financial success then starts by developing an understand of passive income and how it is created.
There are many, many vehicles that people utilize to generate multiple income streams and huge passive incomes. But essentially they all come from two basics types: Business Passive Income and Investments Passive Income. Each one has its own benefits, and one form may interest you more and be better suited for your current situation. Learning a little about these two forms of passive income, business and investing, will give you a good the ability to spot money making opportunities all around you. In fact, once you get savvy about passive income and all of the methods in which it can be created, you will see more opportunity that you will ever have time enough to pursue. But too much good stuff is rarely a problem.
We all know that money can be used to make more money, but most people do not use this knowledge to their advantage. But savvy wealthy seekers look at every dollar as a “seed” that they can plant that will produce more dollars over time. Investment passive income is earned when you invest your money in reliable investments that earn you returns without you having to do anything. You can work hard now, and if you invest your money it will begin to work for you, earning you money. Once your money is working hard enough, you will not have to anymore. You can invest your money into a number of financial instruments like stocks and bods, mutual funds, money marketing, t-bills, and owning appreciating assets. Owning rental properties and storage units can also be great ways to invest your money to work hard for you.
The other option is to create an automated business, which can be done in thousands of ways, that works on its own to generate profits for you around the clock. This is a great idea for wealth seekers who are just getting started and do not yet have enough money to begin in the investment world. There are many ways to start income streams online with little or no money. For example, you could start a website or a blog, develop an ecommerce storefront, or join a network marketing program. Many fortunes have been made by individuals who create their own informational products like ebooks and sell them online. You can do the same and you can use them to create multiple streams of income. Building a mailing list can also be very profitable, especially if you have products of your own that you can promote.
Ben is a young entrepreneur who has several successful businesses under his belt, and enjoys sharing information on a wide range of business, financial, and entrepreneurial topics. Visit and the
There are many six figure income opportunities in this world today. Whether you go college, build your business, or find a business opportunity that offers you a chance to make a six figure income. All you have to do is find what is right for you, but make sure what you choose to do benefits you in the long run because you never know what can happen in this do and time.
College is what everyone thinks is the best thing to do because you think its will open up a whole lot of opportunities, in which it will. But think about it, in todays world that’s not a guarantee. The world is in a recession and jobs are looking to cut back on something and cut back on some workers so they are probably won’t be looking to hire unless you take a lesser pay than the average worker. No one wants to be jobless after they get out of college, specially if they have a family to feed. I know 3 people who lost there college jobs because they were cutting back and they had to jobs working in factories or grocery stores. So I say to keep your opinions open.
Building your own business is good. You are your own boss, you can set your own work time, and selling something that everyone wants. But its hard to build a business if you don’t have a “brake threw” product, meaning that your product have to be something that everyone wants to . But they are business opportunities that have a product for you to sell and have a compensation plan to help you build a six figure income or more.
This is what I prefer because even if the opportunity stop working, you can jump to another without having to go college or learn a trade. You can build a income that is beyond six figures. Imagine getting paid over and over and as you get paid your income should increase every time you put in work. This is called Residual Income. Residual Income is what is making millionaires every year.
So if want to learn more about then click on the link in this sentence. If you want to take a look at one of the best then click on link in this sentence.
I’m in one of the best six figure opportunities in the world and its best products, if you want to learn more about me and this opportunity, e-mail me at acnrobjames3@yahoo.com.
At first an affiliate marketing career is sometimes very diffacult, not because of the work you do but because most of us tend to give up if the money doesn’t start to flow in the first few weeks. This is actually the biggest and most common mistake beginners make and this is the reason why most people never make money on the internet.
Many of my subscribers usually ask me how much money I’m making because some of them are not making enough cashflow to cover their monthly expenses. In fact I’m making over $10,000 /month. A lot of money can be made on the internet but the newbie’s shouldn’t take it the way many of them take it; they should take it like a business.
This is how it really goes, We begin at a craw, then you make a few dollars a week, then rinse and repeat and you make a little bit more, and you go building your business and the number of sites you own and so on. Then your income will start increasing slowly and steady
Money will not pour into your bank account like magic and you can’t spend every dollar you make on bills. You must to grow your business by re-investing what you make. That is the reason so many people fail on the internet, they think about the internet as an ATM machine and if they don’t see money flowing in the first few weeks they give up.
If you, as a beginner, are bringing $200 a week with one niche only, and you know how to do it, then you rinse and repeat, make another one, and then 2 more and so on. Yes, it is that easy. Then you start selling your websites, one site making $1,000 a month is worth $12,000 to $15,000, which is 12 to 15 times your monthly revenue.
What I do is this; I sell my oldest site and build a new one every month, this way I always have the same number of sites on my portfolio, and there’s no reason you can’t do the same. But at the beginning you have to re-invest your profits in to grow.
You will learn something new every day and you will get better at what you do and will make more and more money, but you have to be persistent and don’t give up because getting past the beginner stage is the hardest part, once you see the money coming you will never get out of internet marketing.
Be creative and as you learn, you will come up with your own twist for every strategy you learn and you will make it more profitable and will have a lot of fun in the process, because believe me, you will have fun. And once you have other people doing everything for you your business is basically on autopilot. That is why it is important to outsource.
I know guys making over $100,000 every month with internet marketing and they are not better than me, they just got started before I did, but with time and effort I know I will be there too. Just don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed with information. Focus in only one program and one strategy at a time until you make it work for you and then move to the next one and so on.
Lot’s of money] can be made on the internet, it’s not hard once you know how things work. Obviously, you’ll need a sound program to follow. If you are serious about changing your life on the internet, go to my website Internet Income,
I don’t know if you’ve felt that way or not? I struggled terribly until I discovered a little internet marketing shortcut. Dale Dupree
First you have to understand what is residual income. Residual Income is the excess of controllable operating income over a “minimum” amount of desired controllable operating income. Which means you start with a little income and build it as high as you can. This can be achieved threw many ways, like making movies, being a singer, and many more. You have to find what is right for you so that you can build residual income for you and your family.
Movie actors, such as Will Smith, have residual income because for every time his movie is shown in theaters or on television, he gets paid for it. Just like a singer, every time they make a song and it gets play over and over again on the radio or television, they gets paid for it. But things like movies and singing, you need talent for and lets be honest some of us can’t act or sing, but we are looking for opportunities that can bring us residual income and help earn a six or seven figure income. These opportunities are out there, all you have to do is look.
The internet is a very good resource to look for business opportunities. They are many business opportunities that offer residual income. The opportunity that you choose is up to you because that don’t have the same pay plan or in other words “compensation plan”. The best opportunity to me are MLM or Multi-level Marketing. There compensation plans are designed to help the opportunist earn residual income in quick way. Same might be better than others, but again that’s a choose you have to make.
I’m not hear to what to do, I’m hear to tell you how to build residual income and offer you an opportunity to make residual income for you and your family. If interested visit How To Build Residual Income on how you can build residual income. If this is not what you want, I encourage you to keep looking for that right opportunity for you.
If you have ever wanted to get into business for yourself, now is the time. Never before have people needed the freedom that comes with self employment as they do now. And never has there been so much opportunity. Sure, the job market may be scarce, but the rich are still getting rich, and many others are planting seeds that will soon land them the fortune they have been seeking as well. There is no bad time to get into business, as long as you are well equipped with the knowledge that is needed for true business success.
When you know what to do and how to do it, the chances that you will succeed are greatly enhanced. Ready to build a six or seven figure income? Ready to be in business for yourself, successfully? Are you ready to build a million dollar income? Then the following 5 tips will set you ahead of the masses who also have these goals, but who will never likely reach them. Follow these six principles to build your current business or if you start one fro scratch. They are principles of business success success and wealth creation that anyone can utilize.
Be In the Right Industry Building wealth means that you need to be alert and aware of the ever changing world of opportunities. Being in the right industry at the right time is crucial for amassing a fortune. For example, many fortunes were made in the railroad industry, but that is probably not the best one to get into now. Real estate, business, and the internet offer much potential for wealth, as well as a number of other industries that are thriving and poised for even further growth.
Learn from the Best Most people get business advice from their friends, coworkers, relatives, and a bunch of other people who do not really know what they are talking about. Opinions are cheap because everyone has more than one. Do not work based on speculation, and do not learn from those who are not successful themselves. Do what rich and successful people do; learn from the best of the best in your field. Read, attend seminars, and get mentors. The more you learn from the best, the better you will be too.
Leverage Yourself People who make money from their own efforts alone do not usually accomplish a whole lot. Making millions in business will require you to use leverage. You can leverage your ideas by using ideas of others. You ca leverage your experience by learning from more experienced people. You can leverage your time by getting free or affordable help. You can leverage your money by borrowing from reputable lenders. No matter what, the more you are able to leverage your own efforts, the more you will be able to achieve.
Automate Your Business Million dollar incomes are usually not generated all from one source. Most wealthy people have multiple income streams, which gives them unlimited earning power. When you automate part or all of your business, it still works to generate profits without your effort. The more automated your business, the more additional income streams you can begin adding to your overall passive income. Over time you can develop a huge income from a variety of sources, which is just what the rich do. Always make sure that you are earning the most money possible with every venture you pursue.
Ben is a young entrepreneur who has several successful businesses under his belt, and enjoys sharing information on a wide range of business, financial, and entrepreneurial topics. Visit and the
How You Can Live the Freedom Lifestyle You Deserve… with a Passive Residual Income, Even if You Just Started Learning About Passive Income! Freedom Lifestyle Income Program
Smoking has become the affliction of a large magnitude of people and others seem to be joining the smoke bandwagon at an alarming rate. Smoking has become a very common sight with one out of every fifth person being a smoker. The trend of smoking has become very common among teenagers also. The problems one gets due to smoking are many, but they do not seem to encourage people to stop smoking or deter people for starting to smoke. The hazardous effects of smoking are many, but people do not seem to be paying heed; the tobacco companies seem to be the only one is reaping the rewards out of smoking.
Since tobacco was born, it has been a few companies dominate the tobacco industry. These companies control most of the production and distribution around the world. They are quick to adapt to their policies and tactics to conform to the regulations set by the government and cater to the needs of the ever-increasing number of smokers around the world.
Tobacco companies of the world
A few companies hold the tobacco production and control of tobacco; the three largest companies sell close to two thirds of the entire supply. The stagnation in demand has prompted them to explore new markets.
The government is in a predicament since the tobacco industry accounts for a vast amount of jobs, but it also has to protect the health of its citizens. The government has tried to cut down on smokers by increasing the taxes imposed on them. By increasing the taxes on tobacco products and leveling higher duties on the companies, the companies are forced to raise the prices, which indirectly reduce use; since higher priced goods will be used less often. There is not much the government can do since tobacco is not a banned product.
The large companies also diversify their business to keep abreast in the market. They use various ways the companies diversify.
By market segments: Products are usually divided into categories, from high priced premium cigarettes to low and middle class of cigarettes. Companies with big brand names sell premium high priced cigarettes but also expand in to lower class to protect them from susceptibility. A decline in of premium cigarettes will be ploughed back by the in the lower or middle brands of cigarettes.
By target group: Every cigarette has its target group. By creating a new target group, the company can raise its overall market share. Thus the need to branch out into women cigarettes and target young people.
This targeting of women and youngsters has been seen in bad light. The tobacco industry has long targeted young people with its advertising and promotional campaigns. One of the most memorable, “Joe Camel” campaign initiated by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, helped generate public outrage against tobacco company efforts to reach young audiences and it is no longer used. The reason is obvious, most people start smoking at an early age. Getting a hold on a new segment will increase its share in the market.
Women are also a segment that the industries try to win over. Cigarettes for women are put forward as a symbol of liberation and some even shown in the light of slimming products. Manufacturers produce (long, slim) cigarettes especially for women. Perfumed or scented cigarettes with exotic flavors are targeted at women. Cigarettes usually have the word “slim” or “lights” to attract women consumers. Minorities are also a target for the tobacco industry.
Diversification by tobacco products: cigarettes companies also try to branch out into other tobacco products. For example, Imperial tobacco has decided to branch out into the roll your own segment; it dominates both the tobacco and the paper for this segment.
Diversification by non-tobacco products: food seems to be the favorite for companies seeking to diversify. R.J. Reynolds bought Nabisco (which, in turn, was later acquired by Kraft) owned by Philip Morris. Japan Tobacco derives a (small) part of its from food. Logistics and wholesaling are another favorite
Austria Tabak, wholesaling of tobacco and other products (and the operation of vending machines) makes up a large share of turnover. Over 20 per cent of Altadis’ earnings originate in its logistics division. Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni owns the largest wholesaler of consumer goods in Denmark. BAT tried financial services (but, since 1998, is a pure tobacco company).
Diversification into food and other activities makes the tobacco companies less dependent on (slow-growing) of tobacco products. However, the profit margins in these industry are usually well below those attained in tobacco processing. Producing and marketing cigarettes remain the more lucrative activity.
Incase of diversification by geographical market, OECD-based tobacco companies are keen to reduce their dependence on their stagnant home markets and establish a presence in markets where growth is above average. After having started business in many markets in Latin
America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Central Asian republics in the 1990s, their center of attention is shifting to the Far East. All the major tobacco companies now have a presence in Poland, Russia and the Central Asian republics. Austria Tabak, which gained a presence in
Estonia when it acquired the cigarette activities of Swedish Match also has a 67 per cent market share in Guinea. The company was considering entering Asian markets when it was taken over by Gallaher in June 2001. Through this take-over and the acquisition in 2000 of Liggett-Ducat, the Moscow cigarette maker, Gallaher greatly reduced its dependence on the UK market. Similarly, Japan Tobacco became a world player when it acquired the international activities of R.J. Reynolds. Thanks to a relentless internationalization drive, Germany’s Reemtsma now sells less than one-third of its total in its home market (compared to over 60 per cent in 1991) (see also figure 6). It is now on the go in several Central and Eastern European countries and, in 1999, it acquired Cambodia’s Paradise Tobacco Company.
The government.
A predicament is generally faced by the Governments all across the world. On the one hand, tobacco-growing and processing can makes a large contribution to employment, tax revenue and foreign exchange receipts. In many developing and formerly centrally planned economies, the tobacco companies have made sizeable and most welcome investments when other investors were disinclined to do so. On the other hand, governments have the responsibility to protect the population’s health. Smoking is harmful to health and treating people for smoking-related illnesses is expensive. This can lead to heated debates within the same government as each sector defends the interests it believes it should represent.
The economic importance of tobacco growing and processing differs from country to country. At the national level, cigarette ( and import) tax can be a main source of government revenue. In Russia, cigarette tax revenue contributes around 8 per cent to the financing of the state budget.
When the government owns the industry, it receives profits in addition to tax. That is why, in so many countries, State monopolies continue to control cigarette trade and production. In China, proceeds from state-owned CNTC amounted to the equivalent of US$11,000 million in 1999. CNTC has been the Chinese State’s top revenue generator for years. Japan Tobacco earned more than US$400 million for the Japanese State in the fiscal year ending March 2000. The monopolies can also play a social function. In Italy, several of the state monopoly’s factories are to be found in areas of high unemployment.
Then there are balance of payments issues to mull over, many low-income countries rely on the export of cash crops such as tobacco to pay for the service of their foreign debt.
Tobacco exports made up close to 10 per cent of Cuba’s exports in 1997-98. In the case of
Tanzania it was 15 per cent, In Zimbabwe over 25 per cent and in Malawi tobacco exports made up two-thirds of commodity exports.
Citizens smoke. But, if they smoke domestically produced cigarettes, using homegrown tobacco or use imported cigarettes and tobaccos can make a large difference when foreign exchange is scarce. That explains why so many countries try to restrict the imports of cigarettes and encourage domestic producers to use local tobaccos, for example, by providing a favorable tax treatment to companies that use a minimum percentage of homegrown tobaccos. The cigarette companies have also been a key source of investment in the formerly centrally planned countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. When others were disinclined to invest, those companies saw the possibilities offered by a blend of pent-up consumer demand, outdated production facilities and the association with independence and “western style” living that so appealed to the people in these countries after many years of central planning and little consumer choice. After having lobbied successfully for the reduction of restrictions of Asian markets such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, the large tobacco companies are eagerly waiting for the opening up of the other economies (notably China) that continue to restrict imports from and/or investments by foreign tobacco companies.
Tobacco growing, processing and exports can thus make a significant involvement to national employment and national income. Yet, however important tobacco growing and processing may be at the national level, its full economic and social significance is best grasped at the micro or regional level. In some regions, tobacco is grown side by side with the crop, which is the main source of income; its contribution to overall income is modest. However, in many others, tobacco is a main source of income and employment.
Tobacco growing and tobacco processing may bring substantial economic and social benefits, but the treatment of smoking-related illness is costly. Cigarette smoking causes cancer. It is addictive. The WHO estimates that tobacco products cause around 3 million deaths per year. Cigarette smoking is the major cause of preventable mortality in developed countries. In the mid-1990s, about 25 per cent of all male deaths in developed countries were due to smoking. Among men aged 35-69 years, more than one-third of all deaths were caused by smoking. The costs of treating all these people are clearly enormous (WHO, 1997).
So far, smoking has not had the same impact on mortality among women and among people from developing countries. There is an approximate 30-40 year time lag between the onset of persistent smoking and deaths from smoking. The effects of the greater incidence of smoking between these two groups will thus be felt with a lag, but it seems reasonable to believe that its impact on them will not differ fundamentally from that on developed country males.
It may be argued that smokers willingly take a certain health risk when enjoying their smoke. They like the taste and all the other things that they associate with smoking. Nevertheless, this does not apply to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or “second-hand smoke”.
Smoke gets in your eyes your clothes. Moreover, it gets in your lungs. Non-smokers cannot escape from smoke in badly ventilated areas. To be exposed to other people’s tobacco smoke can be a nuisance in addition to being a health risk for non-smokers.
Governments and conflicting pressures: How do they get by?
In practice, governments have opted for several strategies (which are often followed simultaneously). A recent strategy consists of seeking compensation for the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses. It has been followed with success in the United States, as we saw in section 3.4. Governments also set rules regarding the maximum content of hazardous substances in cigarettes. Most of all, however, governments try to discourage demand for what is, as the industry does not tire of telling us, essentially a legal product.
This is done in a variety of ways, with some governments applying particular vigor and others taking a more relaxed approach. Overall, however, the trend is clear: governments’ rules on smoking are becoming ever more restrictive. The use of tobacco products is being discouraged in several ways.
Limitation of the space where smoking is allowed.
This is done above all to protect non-smokers from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. Smoking is being prohibited in public places (particularly health care and educational facilities) and in mass transport. Legislation requires restaurants to reserve space for non-smokers.
Limitation by age group
It is prohibited to sell tobacco products to people under a certain age.
Limitations on points of .
The use of vending machines is being restricted because these cannot discriminate against to young people.
Health warnings stating that tobacco is harmful to health have become obligatory.
The warnings must be placed on packets and in ads, with the authorities prescribing the text and the minimum space allotted to the warning in the ad or on the pack. Governments sponsor education and public information programs on smoking and health.
Advertising bans. Restrictions concern the location of ads, the media used (no billboards, no ads in the printed media or in cinemas), the images presented (no young people, no cigarette packets), and the time when broadcasting is allowed (not during hours when children watch television).
The manufacturers are unhappy with these restrictions, and in particular with the ban on advertising. In their view, it is not proved that such a ban discourages demand for cigarettes (as its proponents claim). They are concerned about its effect on the value of their prime asset, the brand name.
Worldwide, the tobacco-processing industry employs hundreds of thousands of people. However, due to a combination of slow demand growth, consolidation, and higher productivity, this number is unlikely to increase by much in the near future. Fewer people are needed per unit of production. The industry is becoming less intensive in the use of labor. Tobacco growing, in contrast, gives work to millions of people. It continues to be a highly labour-intensive activity. The scope for productivity increases in tobacco growing would appear to be more limited than those in tobacco processing.
Over a million people are employed in the world tobacco industry
However, of this number a high percentage is employed in just three countries: China, India and Indonesia. The large number employed in China comes as no surprise in view of the large number of cigarettes (one-third of the world total) produced there. Still, the productivity gap with the United States is striking. China produces roughly three times as many cigarettes as the US, but it needs over nine times as many people to produce them. In the other two countries, the scope for productivity improvements would appear to be even higher.
THE SCENARIO TODAY.
The situation concerning smoking are scary, if global trends continue as they are doing today by 2030 more than 8 million people will die each year from tobacco related causes-80% in the developing regions of the World. In India per example where 120 million smoke 1 in 5 men will die for smoking. Smoking is on the decline in developed nations but is on a large-scale rise in developing or underdeveloped nations. The statistics are frightening, every eight seconds someone dies from smoking; about 15 billion cigarettes are sold daily. There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world today, and if things continue as they have, that number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2025.
Smoking and use of tobacco products is on a decline in most developed countries. However, it is on a rampant increase in other developing countries.
In the US, there has been a decrease in the number of smokers. This can be attributed to the growing awareness of the damage smoking causes to the health of the individual. There is however a sad side to the story, smoking has increased to a drastic level in other countries and the figures are staggering.
China is home to 300 million smokers who consume upwards of 1.7 trillion cigarettes a year, or 3 million cigarettes a minute. As many as 100 million Chinese men presently under the age of 30 will die from tobacco use. There are approximately 120 million smokers in India today, and it is estimated that in the year 2010 alone, there will be close to one million tobacco-related deaths among men and women age 30 to 69 in India. Worldwide, tobacco use will kill more than 175 million people between now and the year 2030. Current tobacco-related health care costs in the United States total US $81 billion annually. Germany spends an average of US $7 billion, and Australia, US $1 billion each year on health care directly related to tobacco use. Health care costs associated with secondhand smoke total US $5 billion a year in the U.S. It is estimated that as many as 500 million people alive today will be killed by tobacco use. The statistics are chilling.
One reason for the sudden spurt in the numbers in these countries may be due to the arrival of tobacco companies. The lax stand of the governments in these countries makes it a good bet to start business. The anti smoking lobbies in these countries have not been able to combat the increase. Increased awareness has made it hard for tobacco companies to work in many countries and so the tobacco companies have shifted their sights to greener pastures.
These countries have a very small anti smoking lobby and the government restrictions o them are not so tough and the government is dependent on the revenues it earns from them. Setting up business in these countries has resulted in increased used of tobacco products.
The anti smoking lobby has been very effective in curtailing the spread and increase of smoking around the world.
Advertising related to tobacco has is banned in most countries. Warnings of the harmful effects of the product have to be printed on the packet. This statutory warning is mandatory in most countries. The WHO in its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into effect on 27 February 2005 has specified that all 168 countries should ban advertisements unless their constitutions forbade them to do so.
Today, we are aware of the hazards of smoking. Even though the people are aware of the harmful effects of smoking they rarely seem to pay heed. Everyone knows that smoking causes cancer, heart diseases and can shorten the life span of an individual. It is a highly addictive habit and smokers are at a risk of losing ten years of their life.
With so many smokers around the world, tobacco companies are the only ones gaining form the increase.
Smoking Joey-Heavy Smoker –
If you are smoking-try to quit- but in the meantime-smoke for less.
The study of the economy of Cuba can be divided into four phases. The first phase consists of the occupation of the island by the Spanish, which led to the extinction of the aboriginals and the bringing of African slaves to work on the sugar plantations. At this point of time, Cuba provided for the highly profitable business of sugar cultivation and its exports. Sugar industry was the crux of Cuba’s economy and Cuba rose to become one of the largest producers of sugar in the world.
The second phase pertains to the years following the wars of independence against the Spanish and also the invasion of Cuba by the US. It is marked by the sweeping powers of intervention obtained by the US in 1902, with the Cuban economy being controlled by the growing investment of the US citizens in the sugar plantations of Cuba. Now, again, money and profits from the sugar plantation, sugar refineries and subsidiary sugar products such as rum went to the many American investors and a few Cuban elite. The other major industries also included tourism, tobacco, transportation, mining and the communication industry.
The third phase begins with the Cuban revolution and the beginning of Fidel Castro’s rule in the year 1959. All plantations that were more than 400 hectares became state owned and all industries including the petroleum and the telephones became nationalized. This lead to the US trade embargo towards Cuba. Cuba lost its traditional international market. However, Cuba found a trade and political ally in the USSR when the Cuban-sugar for Russian-oil package worked well. Cuba reoriented itself to the Russian and pro-Russian market and did over 80% of its international trade with them. The next 30 years saw tremendous improvement in health care, education and social welfare. Cuba boasts of a 97% literacy rate and the life expectancy increased to 76%. There was an egalitarian distribution of income and Cuba’s income inequality index became the lowest in the world.
All was well until 1989 when it became clear to Cuba that sooner or later Cuba would have to learn to do without any subsidies or trade relations with the USSR and the eastern European countries. The fourth phase begins here with the government dubbing it as the ‘Special Period in Peacetime’. The economic reforms include:
(i) the opening and gearing up of tourism as an industry
(ii) diversification of the agricultural sector by producing fruits and vegetables and rice along with live stock for local consumption that include the visiting tourists.
(iii) production of more of citrus food and less of sugar
(iv) focusing on that sector of fisheries which sent its fleets to nearby seas and exporting spiny lobsters to Japan
(v) State-owned lands have been converted to agricultural cooperatives that are managed to a certain degree by the workers. Retail outlets at a small scale have been allowed for the food market. In the field of food production, allowing the of excess production (which is above the state-fixed production quota) in the free market has brought down black markets, in addition to enhancing production
(vi) Foreign investments in various industries such as tourism, mining, telecommunication, construction and manufacturing sectors have been allowed
(vii) Self employment has been legalized for around 150 occupations.
Investment into biotechnology and pharmaceuticals during the third phase reaped returns when products of this industry were available for export now at the fourth phase.
The other Cuban industries include cement, steel, agricultural machinery and construction.
Fisheries, nickel and ore production, growing agricultural products such as fruits, tobacco are some areas that have shown growth in the export sector. Cuba now exports to European countries (50%), Canada and Latin America (20%), and Asia (20%).
Spain, France, and United Kingdom have invested in the tobacco and cigar production. Spain and Canada have invested in the exploration of oil off the shores of Cuba. Mexico, Canada, Australia, South-Africa, Netherlands, Brazil, and Chile are the other major countries that have invested in the various industries of Cuba.
Cuba has entered into an agreement with Venezuela whereby thousands of Cubans who are doctors, teachers and sports trainers, and engineers would move in to Venezuela to assist their development program in return for 53,000 barrels of oil per day being shipped to Cuba for the next five years.
“Energy revolution” where apart form changing the entire system of power generation and distribution, energy conservation is also aimed at, has been in vogue in Cuba for the last two years. The quality of life of the Cubans are improving with the volunteers of the government replacing on a door-to-door campaign, the existing electric stoves and lights with the ones that are more efficient and less energy consuming. Energy efficient refrigerators and television sets have been distributed and would be installed in all the thousands of housing units that the government is building. Energy efficient buses from China would soon be available for the Cuban public transport. It is just a matter of some time when power generation would take place at hundreds of units that are well synchronized, thus avoiding wastage of power while distributing it through very long distances. Generation of natural gas while exploring for oil at oil rigs is also considered.
Cuba has also legalized the US dollars. Further, the Venezuelan inputs for domestic oil production and upgradation of existing power stations have raised the level of optimism. Cuba is also hoping to find oil off its shores. Apart from the sugar industry and its related products, there are various industries such as tourism (also called the lung of the Cuban economy), fisheries, nickel and ore production, production of tobacco, Cuban cigar, citrus fruits, pharmaceuticals, coffee, besides basic manufacturing industries which have earned Cuba foreign exchange. Cuba has learned to manage its post-USSR economic condition and is steering towards a more prosperous economy.
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