Beijing, April 30 (IANS) A smoking ban in all indoor public places, including hotels, restaurants and theaters, in China will take effect from May 1, the health ministry said.
Smoking is also banned in waiting rooms at the airports and railway stations. According to the law, business owners will have to carry out promotional activities to warn people of the dangers of smoking, China Daily reported Friday.
The law also prohibits placing cigarette vending machines in public places.
It is estimated that China has more than 300 million regular smokers, and over 700 million people are routinely exposed to harmful second-hand smoke, according to experts.
The law, however, does not specify punishments for business owners who fail to meet the smoking ban’s requirements. It also does not specify penalties for people who continue to smoke in the designated no-smoking areas.