For nearly a century, cigarette production has occupied a large part of the Taiwanese economy. The rise of the tobacco industry has both engendered growing taxes for the government and caused profound increases in death and disease across the island. ;xNLx;;xNLx;From the hand-rolled cigarettes of the Meiji Regime to the Menthol Slims produced by Taiwan's first foreign tobacco plant, the mass manufacturing environment in Taiwan has changed dramatically since its humble beginnings in the start of the 20th century.;xNLx;
Systematic cigarette production in Taiwan began with the formation of the Taiwan Tobacco Monopoly in 1905, during the 10th year of Japanese occupation in Taiwan.
A "Bitter Leaf" plant opens at the heart of Taipei City
A pro-growth industrial mindset prompted the construction of a second cigarette factory in Taiwan. The Songshan Tobacco Plant would come to represent Taiwan Tobacco's first corporate "responsible" spending efforts.
The Songshan Tobacco Plant begins production in a rapidly developing area of Taipei
Under the new government of Chiang Kai-Shek, the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau remained a government agency.
Cigarette Production rises steadily following WWII, at times outpacing population growth.
Pressure from urban developers prompts the Taipei Tobacco Plant to relocate to its current location in New Taipei City.
The Taipei Cigarette Factory establishes a department devoted to filter production.
Faced with threat of trade sanctions from the United States, Taiwan allows imports of foreign tobacco products into the market for the first time in over 75 years.
Pressure from urban planners, combined with declining demand for domestically produced cigarettes, leads to the closure of the Songshan Tobacco Plant.
The Taiwan Tobacco Monopoly Bureau changes from a government agency into a state-owned company called the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation.
Imperial Tobacco opens its first Southeast Asia factory a hop, a skip, and a jump away from the National Health Research Institute Headquarters.
Since the end of the retail monopoly in 1987, domestic cigarette production has dwindled to under 1% of national revenue.
Lung cancer, the number one cigarette-attributed disease, has been on the rise in Taiwan since the mid 20th century.
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