Smoking Bans Coming To Town, And Everyone Can Report Violators

By Lauren Hogan

A heavy crackdown on smoking in public is expected to come soon to Shanghai and the best bit? We'll be allowed to report violations.

If passed, the ban would be extended to all indoor public venues, such as hotels and restaurants, as well as enforce indoor smoking rooms at companies and factories where 'naked flames' are banned outdoors, the Shanghai People's Congress reports.

The tighter rulings, which have been in discussion since earlier this year, are expected to be put into place before November. That's when the 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion comes to town, an event co-organized by the World Health Organization who have been calling for tighter smoking regulations in China for a while now.

According to city legislator Lin Huabin, “The amended regulation aims to better protect the public from second-hand smoke, but also needs to take into the feasibility of the rules into consideration."

Not a bad ruling to have right ahead of heavy pollution season.

And where do non-smoking citizens (or even smoking citizens for that matter) come into play on this?

If smokers are spotted outside their designated zone, the public 'will be encouraged to report violations' by sending photos to the hotline 12345.

Fines for breaking the new laws would RMB50-200 for individuals and up to RMB30,000 for companies, adding up to one pricey pack of cigs. .

[Image via CityLab]

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