Beijing awarded by WHO for new smoking ban

Source: Xinhua

Updated: 2015-06-01

According to official data, more than one million Chinese people die from smoking-related diseases annually.

The country is adopting its strictest measures yet in the latest tobacco-control efforts. However, challenges remain.

According to an online survey conducted by Xinhua prior to the implementation of the ban, of 22,392 participants polled as of Saturday, only 17 percent believe the ban will be effective, and 49 percent worry about its feasibility while another 34 percent believe it is more important for the country to reduce tobacco output.

  Officials and ambassadors light the logo.

When asked about the biggest challenge for tobacco control, 47 percent chose "weak penalties," ahead of "restaurants allow their customers to smoke," "low public supervision awareness" and "smokers won't listen to requests from others."

Thirty-six percent of respondents said they or their friends have been asked to stop smoking, while 64 percent said they had not.

Seventy-seven percent of people said they would either walk away or tolerate someone else smoking in public, while only 23 percent said they would directly ask or have staff ask smokers to stop.

  Officials and ambassadors dance for tobacco control.

"After the ban takes effect, the city's law enforcement still needs to work out ways to implement the regulations to the letter and make smokers who defy the ban receive due punishment," said Xu Guihua, deputy director of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control.

Wang Huanyu, a 22-year-old student at the Communication University of China, saw posters for the new smoking ban near his dormitory. He said, "I will worry about being seen or reported when I smoke in public spaces, but I doubt the punishment will be carried out every single time someone breaks the rule."