No smoking, please! Shanghai regulates bilingual signs

Local health authorities have issued a rule to regulate the bilingual design and installation of non-smoking signs in indoor places and signs for outdoors smoking areas to further enhance the healthy environment for non-smokers and hasten the process of becoming a smoke-free city.

Shanghai is the first city in China to pass legislation prohibiting smoking indoors and has amended the law several times. Currently, smoking (both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes) is banned in all indoor public spaces in the city.

According to the new rule, non-smoking signs should be installed in all indoor and outdoor places, where smoking is not allowed, while venues are encouraged to set up special smoking spots in permitted places with clear direction in order to guide smokers and protect non-smokers against the harm of second-hand smoking, the Shanghai Health Promotion Commission, in charge of controlling smoking in the city, said.

Ti Gong

The rule stipulates that the signs must contain "No Smoking" in both Chinese and English, the maximum fines for both individuals and venues for violation and the complaint and consultation hotlines.

Non-smoking places include all public indoor places, indoor work places, public transport and outdoor areas of certain public venues, such as places where minors gather like kindergartens, schools, youth centers and training centers, maternity and children hospitals, stadiums, audience seats and performance and competition areas, historical and cultural sites and public transport waiting areas.

Ti Gong