And indeed, the agenda for the upcoming tobacco trade show Tab Info Asia 2009, seems to suggest there is concern in the industry.

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While the smoking population is half what it was a generation ago in the U.S. and other industrialized nations, with only one in five using tobacco, it's different in Africa and East Asia, where time stands still when it comes to cigarettes.

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Among the companies that have a big presence in the region are tobacco concern BAT and consumer products giant Unilever, which each get 19% of their sales from non-Japan Asia, brewer SABMiller, with 16% of its sales from non-Japan Asia, advertising concern J.

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