Beijing to ban tobacco smoking—again

A draft regulation published on Friday would ban public money being used in Beijing to buy tobacco products for gifts or public functions, according to the Xinhua News Agency quoting the city’s legal affairs office.

The draft regulation on smoking control, which has been put out for public comment, would prohibit also tobacco smoking in enclosed public places, tobacco advertising and promotions, and sales from vending machines.

It is not known when the new regulations are due to be put into effect.

Xinhua noted that tobacco smoking is banned already in enclosed public places through a 2011 regulation whose enforcement is said to have been “very poor.”