Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    THE smoking-control authorities will make use of surveillance cameras in public venues to monitor smoking and encourage the public to take photos as evidence to report smoking violations after admitting that smoking is still rampant in some areas.

    The city’s smoking-control office said it plans to campaign for more responsibility and enthusiasm from operators and administrators of public places, such as public buildings, restaurants, schools, parks and medical institutions, to participate in banning smoking.

    “Public places such as Internet bars, eateries, wholesales markets and office buildings are still areas hard-hit by smokers, though smoking control has been greatly improved in medical institutions, hotels and transportation venues,” Sun Meihua, director of Shenzhen Smoking Control Office, said at a news conference Saturday on the eve of the anniversary of Shenzhen’s smoking-control regulations being implemented March 1 last year.

    By Jan. 31, the office had dispatched 171,021 law enforcement officers to inspect public venues citywide. They persuaded 133,722 smokers to cease smoking in off-limits areas and inspected over 94,305 nonsmoking public venues.

    Two public venues were fined 20,000 yuan each (US$3,200) and 8,856 individuals were fined a total of 443,350 yuan for violating the law.

    According to the law, individual violators could be fined from 50 yuan (US$8.20) to 500 yuan for smoking in public venues. Operators of nonsmoking venues could be fined up to 30,000 yuan if they fail to comply with the ban.

    A random survey by the office showed 81 percent supported banning smoking in all indoor areas. Twelve percent of smokers had quit smoking and smokers generally smoke at home (25.51 percent), in outdoor areas (25.27 percent) or in restrooms (21.18 percent). Restrooms in public areas have felt the hit of smokers.

    The survey showed that more than half thought the control isn’t effective, with 11 percent saying they thought smoking-control efforts have been far from satisfactory.

    “Besides fines, we will add more smoking spots at appropriates outdoor places, encourage venue operators to participate in nonsmoking promotions, organize volunteers and elderly people to dissuade smokers from smoking, and improve residents’ awareness of why they should not smoke in public,” said Sun.