Capital needs to make smoking ban work

Beijing announced on Monday, people can use three gestures to show their objection to those smoking in public venues. One is to put a hand over one's mouth to tell a smoker that one minds him or her smoking. The other is to stick two fingers beneath the palm of the other hand to ask the smoker to stop smoking and the third is to hold the raised palm out toward the smoker to say no. The announcement came 20 days before the capital's most severe smoking ban takes effect on June 1.

Beijing issued its first smoking ban in indoor public venues in 2010. However, there has been much to be desired when it comes to its implementation. There are still many smokers who defy the ban and smoke wherever they want. And it is also difficult for some public venues such as restaurants or coffee shops to stop customers from lighting their cigarettes.

The new tobacco control regulations are a lot more severe than their predecessors. The fine for those who defy the rules can be as high as 200 yuan ($32), which is 20 times higher than the fine specified in the old rules. The smoking ban has also been extended to kindergartens, primary and middle schools, hospitals, museums and other public places.