Not one smoker fined despite ban
By Dong Zhen |
January 6, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DESPITE introducing a public smoking ban five years ago, officials in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, have yet to issue a single penalty fine.
For while there is plenty of public puffing in the city with a population of 8.3 million, local government lacks monitoring and enforcement resources, Hubei-based Chutian Metropolis Daily reported.
The newspaper says 150 Chinese cities and regions, including Shanghai, are experiencing similar difficulties in reducing the number of smokers in public places.
Wuhan city government says since the new year it has stepped up efforts to stop smoking in public spots. Monitoring teams have been sent to hospitals to ensure the ban is adhered to.
But an investigation by the newspaper found the anti-smoking campaign was difficult to enforce at hospitals.
Workers from anti-smoking monitoring teams at several hospitals in Wuhan complained that many patients just ignored them.
There have also been cases of workers trying to prevent smoking in Wuhan hospitals being attacked.
Some Wuhan officials have called for a dedicated department to enforce punishment against smokers and for a watchdog team with legal crackdown authorization.
In theory, smokers who flout the 2005 smoking ban in Wuhan face fines of between 500 (US$75) and 1,000 yuan, though this has never been enforced.
Meanwhile, Shanghai is seeking to advance its anti-smoking campaign through spot checks. In a latest citywide check, some Shanghai hospitals were found to be poorly enforcing the smoking ban. Observers found smoking taking place in smoking-free areas at 43 percent of Shanghai hospitals.
Shanghai will hold citywide checks every three months on the enforcement of its anti-smoking ban, introduced last March, in public venues. The city will also create initiatives to improve the ban.
Taxis and elevators in high-rise buildings will be the main focus of monitoring this year.
Police in Shanghai last month detained three men for smoking at a small commodities market where inflammable goods, such as toys, were being sold.
For while there is plenty of public puffing in the city with a population of 8.3 million, local government lacks monitoring and enforcement resources, Hubei-based Chutian Metropolis Daily reported.
The newspaper says 150 Chinese cities and regions, including Shanghai, are experiencing similar difficulties in reducing the number of smokers in public places.
Wuhan city government says since the new year it has stepped up efforts to stop smoking in public spots. Monitoring teams have been sent to hospitals to ensure the ban is adhered to.
But an investigation by the newspaper found the anti-smoking campaign was difficult to enforce at hospitals.
Workers from anti-smoking monitoring teams at several hospitals in Wuhan complained that many patients just ignored them.
There have also been cases of workers trying to prevent smoking in Wuhan hospitals being attacked.
Some Wuhan officials have called for a dedicated department to enforce punishment against smokers and for a watchdog team with legal crackdown authorization.
In theory, smokers who flout the 2005 smoking ban in Wuhan face fines of between 500 (US$75) and 1,000 yuan, though this has never been enforced.
Meanwhile, Shanghai is seeking to advance its anti-smoking campaign through spot checks. In a latest citywide check, some Shanghai hospitals were found to be poorly enforcing the smoking ban. Observers found smoking taking place in smoking-free areas at 43 percent of Shanghai hospitals.
Shanghai will hold citywide checks every three months on the enforcement of its anti-smoking ban, introduced last March, in public venues. The city will also create initiatives to improve the ban.
Taxis and elevators in high-rise buildings will be the main focus of monitoring this year.
Police in Shanghai last month detained three men for smoking at a small commodities market where inflammable goods, such as toys, were being sold.
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