USA Today, 19 May 2004, features an article on the negative impact on China
of affluence, worsening diet and increasing alcoholism.  Here is a summary
of the latter part of the story.

no minimum legal drinking age
TV advertising of all kinds of liquor both legal and common
most Chinese light drinkers
drinking alone rare
most drinking as part of a meal
beer output increased 91 times between 1949 and 1981
beer now produced in nearly every province
320% increase in ehtyl alcohol consumption between 1978 and 2000
now per capita 176 ounces officially (probably a third higher if included
homemade brewers)
almost no alcoholism care in 1970s
now facilities growing, mostly for men with a few women
mention Anding Hospital which almost tripled the people it cared for over
the last two years
in 2000 for the first time this facility treated women
number of alcoholics tripled nationally between 1983 and 1993
about three years ago first chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous in Beijing and
Shanghai
expect alcoholism problems to increase with affluence (if government goals
are reached, by 2020 Chinese people will attain a standard of living
comparable to that of the West in 1990)