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Toothless anti-smoke law puts cities in dilemma
By Dong Zhen |
January 5, 2011, Wednesday
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Online Edition
Online Edition
PUBLIC smoking was banned in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, five years ago, but not a single fine ticket has been given out violators in the city of 8.3 million people due to lack of law enforcement, local Chutian Metro Daily reported.
Same problem is found in other Chinese cities including Shanghai, the report said.
Wuhan city government has announced renewed efforts to stop smoking in all public venues in the new year and local hospitals were ordered to eliminate indoor smoking with warning signs and patrols.
But an investigation by the newspaper found the anti-smoking campaign was difficult to carry out in hospitals.
Patrols in several hospitals complained that some patients didn't listen to them at all and even scolded them. And the hospitals are not legally allowed to fine the violators.
Last August, a hospital worker was slapped in the face by a young man for stopping him to smoke and last month a smoker gathered nine others to attack seven security guards in a shopping mall in Wuhan after a quarrel over smoking, the report said. Some people are urging the city's legislators to add teeth to the city's smoking ban rule by appointing a dedicated law enforcement unit to punish violators.
The public smoking ban, adopted in 2005, imposes a fine from 500 to 1,000 yuan. But the penalty has never been used, the newspaper said.
Similarly, Ji'nan, the capital of Shandong Province, is also planning to improve its anti-smoking law. The city enacted the ban in 1996 and revised it in 2001 but public smoking has not been contained due to a lack of detailed penalties and strong law enforcement, the newspaper said.
Shanghai is seeking to strengthen its anti-smoking campaign by holding regular spot checks by official inspectors.
In a recent citywide check, some Shanghai hospitals were found indifferent to the smoking ban. Inspectors said 43 percent of Shanghai hospitals had people puffing on cigarettes in banned areas.
Shanghai will hold a citywide check every three months to enforce its smoking ban which went into effect last March, the report said. Taxies and elevators in high-rise buildings will be the main targets for monitoring this year.
Same problem is found in other Chinese cities including Shanghai, the report said.
Wuhan city government has announced renewed efforts to stop smoking in all public venues in the new year and local hospitals were ordered to eliminate indoor smoking with warning signs and patrols.
But an investigation by the newspaper found the anti-smoking campaign was difficult to carry out in hospitals.
Patrols in several hospitals complained that some patients didn't listen to them at all and even scolded them. And the hospitals are not legally allowed to fine the violators.
Last August, a hospital worker was slapped in the face by a young man for stopping him to smoke and last month a smoker gathered nine others to attack seven security guards in a shopping mall in Wuhan after a quarrel over smoking, the report said. Some people are urging the city's legislators to add teeth to the city's smoking ban rule by appointing a dedicated law enforcement unit to punish violators.
The public smoking ban, adopted in 2005, imposes a fine from 500 to 1,000 yuan. But the penalty has never been used, the newspaper said.
Similarly, Ji'nan, the capital of Shandong Province, is also planning to improve its anti-smoking law. The city enacted the ban in 1996 and revised it in 2001 but public smoking has not been contained due to a lack of detailed penalties and strong law enforcement, the newspaper said.
Shanghai is seeking to strengthen its anti-smoking campaign by holding regular spot checks by official inspectors.
In a recent citywide check, some Shanghai hospitals were found indifferent to the smoking ban. Inspectors said 43 percent of Shanghai hospitals had people puffing on cigarettes in banned areas.
Shanghai will hold a citywide check every three months to enforce its smoking ban which went into effect last March, the report said. Taxies and elevators in high-rise buildings will be the main targets for monitoring this year.
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