Shanghai losing smoking image

New regulations in Shanghai, China, will next year extend the city’s existing tobacco smoking ban, according to an ECNS.cn story

The new regulations prohibiting smoking at all enclosed public places and at some outdoor public places were approved by the city’s legislative body, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress.

“We are delighted that, with the adoption of this new law, Shanghai will be protecting non-smokers from the health risks of inhaling secondhand smoke,” said Bernhard Schwartlander, the World Health Organization’s representative in China.

“When this new law comes into force in March next year, the people of Shanghai will be able to breathe smoke-free air indoors. This is a huge step forward for the health of Shanghai’s more than 20 million residents. Deaths caused by involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke are entirely preventable, and from a public health perspective, such deaths are simply unacceptable.

“By fully implementing and enforcing the comprehensive indoor smoking ban without exceptions, Shanghai will once again be able to position itself as a leader in controlling smoking in the Healthy City movement in China,” he said.

The city’s first regulation to control smoking took effect in 2010.

The managers in charge of public areas are required to organize special staff or volunteers to stop people from smoking, educate people about the smoking ban and report violations to regulators.

The story quoted Zhu Yifei, a 33-year-old non-smoker as saying that it was important that the government took action. “Special personnel should be deployed to fight smoking in the same way illegal parking is dealt with,” she said.

Liu Demin, a smoker, said he seldom smoked indoors and that he might be too lazy to go out to smoke under tighter laws.

He suggested increasing the amount of publicity surrounding the new regulation; “or people will have no idea that they have violated it,” he said.