Shanghai imposes 1.68 million yuan in fines in anti-smoking blitz last year

About 12.3 percent of public indoor venues violated the city's anti-smoking law last year, the Shanghai Health Promotion Commission's office said on Tuesday.

Shanghai was the first city in the country to pass legislation prohibiting indoor smoking in March 2010. The law was amended in 2016 to achieve a total ban. Since last October, Shanghai has prohibited the use of e-cigarettes in public indoor areas as well.

At the moment, smoking is banned in all public indoor spaces, workplaces, and public transportation in the whole city. This includes e-cigarettes. The venue can be fined up to 30,000 yuan (US$4,329), while individuals are penalized 200 yuan.

The city continues to increase its inspection and monitoring of public smoking violations. Last year, 469 establishments and 340 individuals were fined a total of 1.68 million yuan. Adult smoking rates in the city have dropped to 19.4 percent, meeting the national goal of 20 percent by 2030, thanks to the combined efforts of governmental bodies and rising public awareness.

Officials said they will increase supervision at key anti-smoking venues such as restaurants, Internet bars and entertainment venues, as well as enhance education on the dangers of smoking, including e-smoking. According to the office, e-cigarette violations have been detected in approximately 2.2 percent of public venues.

The government is also encouraging public participation in the anti-smoking efforts and inviting people to provide information on violations. Complaints and tips can be directed to the 12345 government hotline, as well as the office's official WeChat public account and WeChat mini-program.

Officials said the 12345 hotline can provide bilingual service, and expatriates can offer suggestions and tips to help Shanghai become a non-smoking city.