Public health advocates in China are hoping a new report predicting a tripling in the number of smoking related-deaths will be a wake-up call for the government.

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The study, published in The Lancet medical journal, said the number of people dying every year from tobacco-related deaths would reach 3 million by 2050.

Wu Yiqun, a longtime advocate of tobacco control from the Research Centre for Health Development in Beijing, said the findings should spur more concrete action.

"We need to fully implement regulations on tobacco advertising," she said.

"In the past 10 years we have made some progress, but compared to other countries, our progress isn't enough.

"The government should financially support tobacco control measures, and that could be done through imposing more tax and increasing the price of cigarettes."

Beijing tobacco retailers say cigarettes are cheap, with most customers paying just $2 to $3 a packet.

Recent indoor smoking bans have been seen as a sign authorities are taking the issue seriously. Beijing's city government introduced an indoor smoking ban in June.

But critics say little will change as long as state-owned companies continue to run the industry.

The Chinese National Tobacco corporation runs a state monopoly on the industry, which brings in roughly 7 per cent of central government revenue.

"On one hand the government manufactures and markets the cigarettes, on the other hand it is the body that carries out tobacco control, which means it is a fight between the left hand and the right hand," Ms Wu said.

The study found two out of three Chinese men smoke.

1 million smoking-related deaths per year

The high rate is leading to 1 million deaths per year from tobacco-related causes.

Twenty-six-year-old Han is among the young Chinese men trying to give up smoking.

"I started smoking 12 years ago when I was in middle school," he said.

"I was 14 at the time. I started because all my friends were smoking.

"I am worried so I've tried to quit several times, but haven't been successful."

Three per cent of Chinese women also smoke.

"So far I don't think it's affected my health," 26-year-old Chen said.

"My father has been smoking for a long time and his lungs are in good health.

"But if I marry or am pregnant, then I'll think about quitting."