Bright red banners have been posted around Beijing to promote the anti-smoking campaign. (Photo : Google)
As more than a million Chinese die from smoking-related diseases every year, Beijing toughens up its campaign against smoking and seeks for volunteers to promote the advocacy.
With the health risks and the serious air pollution caused by smoking in Beijing, lawmakers agreed to the Ministry of Health's guidelines published in 2011. The new law came into effect on June 1.
The Beijing Tobacco Control Association said that they need three kinds of volunteers.
"Some to promote the smoking regulations and stop people from illegally smoking; some to coordinate reports of illegal smoking and support law enforcement staff if needed; and some to help people quit smoking," said the association's president, Zhang Jianshu.
Zhang added that anyone who meets the age requirement is welcome to apply as coordinator volunteers. The association also hopes to have more teenagers to join in promoting the anti-tobacco campaign.
With the new campaign, all indoor public places in Beijing should be 100-percent smoke-free. It includes government and private workplaces, cafes, hotels, restaurants, subway stations, airport and bars.
Anyone who breaks the law will have his name posted on government websites. Businesses will be liable for fines up to 10,000 yuan or $1,600, while lawbreakers in Beijing will be fined 200 yuan or $32.
Smoking bans already existed in China, yet previous attempts did not work due to poor enforcements and loopholes on the regulations.
“We couldn’t say this is the strongest law in the world, but it’s certainly up there with the strongest, in that there are no exemptions, no exceptions and no loopholes on the indoor smoking ban requirement,” said Angela Pratt of the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative.
