Society

Many fear smoke rules ineffective

By Zheng Caixiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-01 08:46

GUANGZHOU - Many residents do not expect the city's anti-smoking regulation that comes into effect on Sept 1 will be followed or enforced in this southern metropolis.

According to the regulation, smoking will be banned in indoor workplaces and other public places in the Guangdong provincial capital.

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Those who violate the regulation will be fined up to 50 yuan ($7.35).

Many residents, however, do not think the regulation will produce good results.

Hu Chuhong, a white collar worker, said that many law enforcement agencies are lax on punishments.

"And law enforcement officers usually find it difficult to collect evidence," he told China Daily.

"The smokers might escape punishment when the law enforcement personnel arrive at the scene because it takes only two to three minutes for a person to complete a cigarette," Hu added.

Meanwhile, many restaurant, KTV and bar bosses and managers would not dare to ask their clients to stop smoking, let alone to report their illegal acts, because they do not want to offend their clients, Hu said.

Wang Wenjie, mother of a 4-year-old girl, said the punishment to smokers is not severe enough.

"Some people, particularly the rich, heavy smokers, will choose to be fined rather than not smoking," she said.

A restaurant boss in Guangzhou's Tianhe district said he is opposed to the smoking ban.

"The smoking ban would certainly affect my restaurant's business," the boss, who revealed only his surname Peng, told China Daily.

An official from the Guangzhou chengguan, or urban management department, admitted his office lacks law enforcers to deal with illegal smoking in the city's public places.

"We will expand cooperation with relevant departments in fighting illegal smoking after the city's anti-smoking regulation comes into effect," said the official who did not wanted to named.

"The regulation will be able to act as a deterrent to smokers and contribute to the city's tobacco control work," he said.

Yao Rongbin, director of the Guangzhou Tobacco Control Association, said that the regulation is a "great improvement and is in accordance with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control".

China ratified the convention in 2005 and joined global anti-smoking efforts. All member countries of the convention must introduce a ban on tobacco consumption in public places by 2011.

According to the regulation, smoking is prohibited in public places such as schools, hospitals, restaurants, public transport vehicles, office buildings, shopping centers, libraries, bookstores, gyms, cinemas and related entertainment venues.

By Tuesday, the city's hospitals, bus terminals and some public places had put "No Smoking" signs in noticeable places.

Organizers of the 16th Asian Games have promised smoking will be prohibited in all the competition and training venues during the Games to be held between Nov 12 and 27.

The Guangdong provincial capital is estimated to have more than 2 million smokers, representing 18 percent of the city's population.