Smoking challenges

Smoking in such public places as kindergartens, hospitals, restaurants, schools, cinemas, concert halls and even in taxis will be banned in Beijing on May 1, according to regulations adopted by a municipal government meeting on Thursday.

Though this comes as good news to those who suffer from secondhand smoke, it is not likely that the ban will be strictly enforced immediately after it takes effect.

The idea of banning smoking has long been a matter of discussion and debate. Even the consensus that secondhand smoke does great harm to the health of non-smokers was not enough to usher in a ban, simply because enforcement is too difficult. It is also because places like restaurants are strongly opposed to the ban, which, they believe, will cut into their customer base, especially if they are forced to aggressively enforce it.