Chinese authorities are becoming increasingly alarmed by a growing craze for children to collect “cigarette cards,” which is fueling a thriving nationwide black market.

Children across the country have become obsessed in recent months with making cards by cutting out the brand labels from used cigarette packets, and then using these cards to play a popular schoolyard game.

Minors are reportedly going to extreme lengths to get their hands on used cigarette packets, with some rummaging through trash cans and venturing into dangerous areas such as local highways.

Others are using their pocket money to buy cigarette cards from local store owners, and e-commerce vendors — with some rare cards reportedly trading for over 1,000 yuan ($135).

The sale of any tobacco-related product — including cigarette cards — to minors is banned in China, which has a stubbornly high smoking rate. But many businesses are flouting the rules to take advantage of the booming demand.

A recent investigation by state broadcaster CCTV found that children in the northwestern city of Xi’an had become worryingly obsessed with the cards. Many knew the names and prices of every major Chinese cigarette brand, as cigarette cards from premium brands are particularly highly prized.

At a convenience store in Xi’an, CCTV reporters saw a second-grader persistently asking the store owner for cigarette packets and cards. Local tobacconists said that they often saw children scavenging for cigarette packets on the streets.

Some schools have tried to ban children from playing with cigarette cards, as Chinese authorities worry the craze could lead more minors to take up smoking. But children are often evading these bans with ease.

In the central city of Zhengzhou, primary school students told CCTV that they often played with cigarette cards in school restrooms or at home, away from their teachers’ prying eyes.

The black market for cigarette cards is equally brazen, with CCTV finding many examples of vendors selling both genuine and counterfeit cigarette cards at large scale.

In the southwestern city of Chongqing, a toy store was found to be selling imitation cigarette cards packaged as “nostalgic cigarette cards.” Each pack contained 6-7 cards closely resembling popular cards found on the market.

Fake cigarette cards appear to be so popular that some children have become experts at identifying counterfeits. Several students explained to CCTV that they knew a card was real if it had small glue marks on the back, where it had been stuck to the cigarette packet.

On major Chinese e-commerce platforms, many stores promote their cigarette cards as being “direct from the factory” and mention that their cards all have glue marks. Several are clearly targeting children, using slogans such as “cards that every child desires” and “no need to scavenge through trash anymore.”

One store on Taobao processed more than 30,000 orders, selling packs of 20 cards for 23 yuan each. In many cases, parents appear to be buying the cards for their children.

“My child insists these are genuine cigarette cards,” one user wrote in a review. “My children have been obsessed with them recently,” another commented.

Chinese authorities have been ramping up measures to clamp down on the cigarette card trade in recent months. Education departments nationwide have launched campaigns urging students to stop playing with the cards.

In May, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration Office issued a notice instructing officials nationwide to collaborate with local market supervision bureaus and other relevant departments to restrict sales of cigarette packets and cards in convenience stores, supermarkets, and stationary stores located near schools.

One mother surnamed Liu from southwestern China’s Sichuan province told Sixth Tone that her 9-year-old son had developed a keen interest in cigarette cards this year.

According to Liu, she had become so worried about her son scavenging for cigarette cards in trash cans that she had decided to buy the cards for him herself. She viewed this as her least-worst option, stressing that the cards had a powerful allure for many local children.

“No matter how hard I try to persuade him, if he and his classmates want these cards, they will find a way to get them,” she said.

Additional reporting: Wen Ming.

(Header image: Children play a “cigarette card” game in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, May 30, 2024. VCG)