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Chinese ban on smoking in public |
From the start of May 2011 a ban will have come into effect in China, disallowing all smoking in public places such as bars, restaurants, cafes and hospitals. Tobacco is a gigantic industry in China, as in most countries, manufacturing around 90 billion cigarettes a year for some estimated 300 million smokers, killing approximately 1.2 million of them a year. Smoking will however still be permitted in the workplace, much to the dismay of anti-smoking campaigners. Advertising for tobacco is still permitted and although there are some small health warnings on cigarette packs, their anti-smoking campaigns are no way near as prominent as in Europe or the USA; something highlighted by a survey that revealed that less than a quarter of Chinese adults believe that smoking causes strokes, heart disease and lung cancer. Despite many welcoming the ban some feel that it is not enough, smoking bans in the past have been commonly flouted at the fine for public smoking for the current ban is around £4.60 the same price as 10 packets of cigarettes.
Source: The Telegraph The Guardian The Independent |