Agencies, individuals fined for flouting Beijing smoking ban

BEIJING - Beijing health authority collected 250,000 yuan ($39,150) in fines in June and July as agencies and individuals continued to ignore the city-wide smoking ban.

Over the two months, 102 enterprises and institutions, and 230 individuals were fined by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, it said on Monday.

Of the 5,144 telephone complaints, 70 percent concerned smoking in offices, restaurants or entertainment venues.

Since June 1, smoking has been prohibited in all indoor public places, workplaces, and on public transportation.

Individuals caught smoking may be fined up to 200 yuan, while businesses face fines of up to 10,000 yuan.

There are about 4.19 million smokers in the capital, yet, only 1,000 law enforcement personnel have been assigned to the campaign.

More than 10,000 volunteers have been recruited to support the core team, they have been tasked with discouraging smoking and explaining the hazards of tobacco, said Liu Zejun, head of the general office of the Beijing patriotic health campaign committee.

As the world's largest tobacco maker and consumer, there are more than 300 million smokers in China, almost the population of the US. Another 740 million people are exposed to second-hand smoke each year.