Public smoking banned in Beijing

Beijing: China’s toughest ban on smoking in public places came into effect on Monday in the capital Beijing, home to around 4.2 million smokers, amid widespread scepticism over weak enforcement of the new law as tobacco sale fetch a whopping $145 billion revenue to the government.

The new legislation prohibits smoking in all indoor public places, including offices, malls and airports, as well as at public parks. More than 1,000 inspectors were sent to government agencies, hospitals, schools, hotels and other places to ensure the law is followed. The officials found cigarette butts in restaurant’s washroom, with the restaurant failing to publicise the smoking complaint hotline 12320 on its no-smoking posters.