05/29/2011, Legal Evening News [Beijing], 15 media hits —
The day after tomorrow is the WHO’s 24th World No Tobacco Day. The Ministry of Health’s newly revised “Implementation Guidelines for Public Venue Health Management Procedures” stipulates that as of May 1, smoking is prohibited at all indoor public venues. The Implementation Guidelines have been in effect for nearly a month now; how are they being instituted across China? From figures provided in other media reports, a Legal Evening News journalist calculated a total of 18 local governments having taken action so far Regarding the parameters of the smoking ban, Harbin’s are the most comprehensive. In the area of penalization, Hainan Province has introduced the most stringent measures. Individuals found smoking in violation of the ban who then ignore remonstrations will be given a rectification order and a CNY 500-1,000 fine – currently the highest in China for an individual violation. Shanghai, Hubei Province and Hainan Province have all written into law that the average citizen is also entitled to tell smokers to put out their cigarette.