Smoking ban violations rise in 2012

By Chen Xiaoru Source:Global Times Published: 2013-2-28 23:38:01

Shanghai health authorities found more people violating the city's smoking ban at Internet bars, restaurants and entertainment venues last year, officials said at a press conference Thursday.

The number of people authorities caught smoking in Internet bars jumped 54.4 percent year-on-year, according to the Shanghai Municipal Health Promotion Committee. The number of people found smoking in entertainment venues and restaurants rose 46 percent and 25 percent respectively over the previous year.

"Although we have enhanced supervision and handed out more fines, the smoking rate is still rising at these places," said Li Guangyao, vice director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Promotion Committee's general office.

The local government banned smoking three years ago in certain indoor areas, such as schools, hospitals, and public transportation vehicles. Li said the smoking rate as a whole in these areas remained stable in 2012.

The committee imposed 350,000 yuan ($56,258) in fines on 190 venues and 100 individuals last year.

"The major cause for the rise is the reluctance of venue owners to follow the smoking regulations," Li said. "They are afraid the ban might hurt their business."

Zheng Jian, the owner of an Internet bar in Pudong New Area, said the smoking ban has cost him customers. He told the Global Times that some customers will just walk out when he asks them to stop smoking.

Another reason for the increase is the lenient penalty. Although smoking regulations state that a company can be fined up to 20,000 yuan, only one entertainment venue has been fined anywhere near that amount.

The largest fine that authorities have given out has been 5,000 yuan to an entertainment venue in Jing'an district, said Tang Qiong, a senior director with the committee.

She said the current policy only allows authorities to issue a warning the first time they find a violation. Inspectors can only issue a fine if they return and find the venue is still breaking the rules.

Tang said that Shanghai is already a step behind Tianjin and Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, which have banned smoking indoors in all public places.

According to the local smoking control policy released in March 2010, 26 kinds of venues including schools, hospitals, and public transit system are listed as places where smoking is prohibited. Karaoke bars and restaurants are allowed to set up designated areas for smokers.

According to a committee survey last year, 90 percent of about 15,000 respondents said they wanted to broaden the smoking ban to all indoor venues. Thirty percent of respondents were smokers.



Posted in: Society, Metro Shanghai

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