Ministry of Health to ban smoking at indoor public areas

The Ministry of Health released the revised "Health Management Ordinance Implementing Regulations for Public Places" on March 22, and new regulations, such as prohibiting smoking in indoor public places, were added.
Xie Yang, director of the Environmental Health Office of the Supervision Bureau under the Ministry of Health, said China is one of State Parties of the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control." The amendment to the regulations shows the determination of the Ministry of Health to positively fulfill tobacco control.
New regulation concerning about smoking ban at indoor public areas requires operators to set "No Smoking" warnings and signs. At the same time, it also prohibits establishing smoking areas in the pedestrian channels of outdoor public places as well as setting up tobacco vending machines in public places.
Meanwhile, It also requires operators of public places to carry out publicity on the harmful effects of smoking as well as employ full-time or part-time personnel to discourage smokers.
In addition, the revised regulations increased the fines quota set in 1991, which were anywhere between 20 yuan and 20,000 yuan, to between 500 yuan and 30,000 yuan.
By People's Daily Online
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