The amendment to the "Regulations on Smoking Control in Public Places of Shanghai" was voted through yesterday, and from March 1 next year, Shanghai will enter the era of "comprehensive tobacco control" in indoor public places.
The revised Tobacco Control Regulations expanded the scope of smoking in public places, and banned smoking in indoor public places, indoor workplaces, and public transportation.
Compared with restaurants, hotels, entertainment and other places that allowed smoking areas in the past, this change in the new regulations means that almost all of the "smoking rooms" originally set up in Shanghai will become a thing of the past. For example, in Shanghai's two major airports, from 0:00 on October 30, all terminals have been completely smoke-free, and all indoor smoking rooms have also been closed and stopped.
In addition, Shanghai’s Tobacco Control Regulations have also added relevant requirements for outdoor smoking points, including six categories of outdoor smoking points, including public places where minors are the main activity crowd, maternal and child health care centers, children’s hospitals, public transportation waiting areas, stadiums, and performance venues. Public areas will also be completely smoke-free. In addition to the above-mentioned locations, the new regulations stipulate that in the outdoor areas of other public places, the establishment of smoking points must meet the four requirements of keeping away from crowded areas and main passages, setting up relevant signs, placing soot collection equipment, and complying with fire safety.
In terms of penalties for violations, the new regulations make it clear that units within the scope of non-smoking will be fined between 2,000 and 30,000 yuan. Individuals who smoke in non-smoking places and do not listen to dissuasion will be fined 50-200 yuan.
It is understood that in recent years, 18 cities across the country have issued local tobacco control regulations. Among the cities that have enacted legislation, the regulations of 7 cities including Beijing, Shenzhen and Lanzhou stipulate that smoking is completely prohibited in indoor public places.
