A History of Tobacco in China

In April 1935, the Kuomintang Party that then governed China issued a decree that aimed to eliminate drugs in two years and cigarettes in six years. Chiang Kai-shek, the party head, reformed the anti-drug commission under military departments to an independent section in charge of smoking elimination in the nation, and personnally took command.

Since the founding of People's Republic of China in 1949, the new Chinese government launched a vigorous crackdown on drugs and tobacco. 369,705 people involved in drug making, trafficking and selling were detected and punished. Farmlands were inspected to eliminate opium poppies.

A opium pipe confiscated during 1950s is on display at Shanghai Museum of Public Security in this undated photo. [Photo/bwg.police.sh.cn]