Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

BUSINESSES along Bagua No. 1 Road, a food street in Futian District, were visited by law enforcers, volunteers and reporters Monday evening in an anti-smoking exercise that saw one smoker fined 50 yuan (US$7.78). A bubble tea store was reprimanded for providing an ashtray to customers.

The exercise marked the beginning of this year’s first round of anti-smoking raids launched by the city’s tobacco control office, market supervision administration and health authorities.

During the anti-smoking raid that lasted for more than an hour, a smoker was caught smoking on the spot at a private room in a seafood restaurant.

According to the restaurant manager, staffers of the restaurant would generally remind customers not to smoke but some guests simply turn a deaf ear. It worries them that their continuous reminders would drive away customers which would affect the restaurant’s business.

During the anti-smoking raid, it was also evident that many restaurants were unable to post no-smoking signs in a standardized way.

In a Korean restaurant, the no-smoking signs were not posted on conspicuous places and in private rooms. Some of the signs were still in the old version.

“Today’s inspection was quite satisfactory as a whole. After inspecting six restaurants, only one customer was found smoking on the spot and another small eatery provided an ashtray. We have imposed corresponding punishment on them,” said Li Xiaohua, deputy head of the Yuanling division of the Futian market supervision administration.

More anti-smoking raids will be conducted on a regular basis across the city. The second smoking ban raid was carried out along Fenghuang Road in Luohu District last night.