"Beijing smoking ban begins to bite - China Daily/Asia News Network Jun 02, 2015
Anti-smoking campaigners at home and abroad have hailed a new regulation on tobacco use in Beijing as a major step forward in the country's efforts to control smoking.
The new rules, which took effect on Monday, are the toughest ever imposed in China, and senior health officials said the capital could serve as a model to pave the way for national tobacco-control regulations and prevent an increase in smoking-related deaths and illnesses.
However, they warned that the government needs to show that it is determined to stamp out smoking, and that resolve will be crucial to the successful implementation of the measures.
The regulation, adopted by Beijing's top legislative body in November, extends existing smoking bans to include all indoor public areas and workplaces, plus a number of outdoor areas, including schools, seating areas in sports stadiums and hospitals where women or children are treated.
Violators will face fines of up to 200 yuan (S$43, US$32), a twentyfold increase from the previous 10-yuan penalty stipulated by the previous regulation adopted in 1996. Owners of buildings classified as public places, such as restaurants, that fail to stop smokers lighting up face fines of up to 10,000 yuan.
Members of the public can report violations to the authorities by dialing a health hotline (12320) or via social media. The new law is fully compliant with Article 8 of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, according to the WHO's China bureau. "We now call on all Beijingers to get behind the city health authorities' efforts to enforce the law. All of us have a role to play," Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO representative in China, said at an event held in Beijing on Sunday to mark World No Tobacco Day."
Taking a leaf out of Singapore's game book!
Lessons from life:
1. hit them where it truly hurt the most! i.e. pecuniary penalties! $$ Talk somehow in some Chinese population!!;
2. while the rules are in place, it will be interesting to see HOW the ENFORCEMENT will be carried out as most Chinese customers' are chain smokers!!;
3. as reiterated by the top government officials, the rest of the drivers are the people who are affected negatively to be pro-active! A counter-intuitive requirement that will mostly have zero chance as human being simply are programmed to avoid PAINS whenever there are PAINs' Unfortunately we cannot have GAIN without PAIN in real life! So, if the individual himself or herself is indifferent and resist the idea of quit smoking, it will unlikely to happen!
For the anti-smoking campaigners and folks. It will be a god-send!
Anti-smoking campaigners at home and abroad have hailed a new regulation on tobacco use in Beijing as a major step forward in the country's efforts to control smoking.
The new rules, which took effect on Monday, are the toughest ever imposed in China, and senior health officials said the capital could serve as a model to pave the way for national tobacco-control regulations and prevent an increase in smoking-related deaths and illnesses.
However, they warned that the government needs to show that it is determined to stamp out smoking, and that resolve will be crucial to the successful implementation of the measures.
The regulation, adopted by Beijing's top legislative body in November, extends existing smoking bans to include all indoor public areas and workplaces, plus a number of outdoor areas, including schools, seating areas in sports stadiums and hospitals where women or children are treated.
Violators will face fines of up to 200 yuan (S$43, US$32), a twentyfold increase from the previous 10-yuan penalty stipulated by the previous regulation adopted in 1996. Owners of buildings classified as public places, such as restaurants, that fail to stop smokers lighting up face fines of up to 10,000 yuan.
Members of the public can report violations to the authorities by dialing a health hotline (12320) or via social media. The new law is fully compliant with Article 8 of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, according to the WHO's China bureau. "We now call on all Beijingers to get behind the city health authorities' efforts to enforce the law. All of us have a role to play," Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO representative in China, said at an event held in Beijing on Sunday to mark World No Tobacco Day."
Taking a leaf out of Singapore's game book!
Lessons from life:
1. hit them where it truly hurt the most! i.e. pecuniary penalties! $$ Talk somehow in some Chinese population!!;
2. while the rules are in place, it will be interesting to see HOW the ENFORCEMENT will be carried out as most Chinese customers' are chain smokers!!;
3. as reiterated by the top government officials, the rest of the drivers are the people who are affected negatively to be pro-active! A counter-intuitive requirement that will mostly have zero chance as human being simply are programmed to avoid PAINS whenever there are PAINs' Unfortunately we cannot have GAIN without PAIN in real life! So, if the individual himself or herself is indifferent and resist the idea of quit smoking, it will unlikely to happen!
For the anti-smoking campaigners and folks. It will be a god-send!
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