Smoking spaces 'civilized'

China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) said on Monday that indoor tobacco-smoking areas should be introduced in public buildings because enforcing total bans in all public places would be too difficult, according to a story by Christian Shepherd for Reuters.
Last month, the China National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC), which is regulated by the STMA, persuaded the eastern city of Hangzhou to amend proposed rules to ban indoor smoking in public places by allowing the introduction of designated areas for smokers.
The STMA, which shares offices and personnel with the CNTC, denied playing any role in the amendment of the tobacco-control measures.
‘We believe that as it is currently difficult to implement a total ban on public smoking, establishing independent smoking areas or indoor smoking rooms in public spaces allows civilized smoking,’ the STMA said in a faxed response to Reuters’ questions.
‘A mature and ideal society should respect every adult’s free choice to smoke or to quit smoking,’ it added.