China: Western Cures Make Little Impact one 320M Smokers
South China Morning Post (Monday, September 3, 2001)
Author: MICHAEL JEN-SIU / in Beijing
Full Text: here
A box of seven nicotine patches at the Limin Pharmacy in downtown Beijing costs 82 yuan (about HK$76), about a 10th of the average worker's monthly salary. It is clear why the patches are on the shelf.

According to a study last month by Hong Kong and British doctors, smoking will kill 100 million mainland people by 2051 unless the country's 320 million smokers change their habits.