City sets China's first standard on outdoor smoking spots
Outdoor smoking spots should not be within 6 meters of building entrances, doors, and air intakes or outlets.
The nation's first standard to regulate the installation and design of outdoor smoking spots has been released in Shanghai ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Friday.
The smoking spot should be at least six meters from any building entrance, windows, doors, and air intakes or outlets.
The spots should be installed neither in public rest or waiting areas where people gather or in main pedestrian passages, nor in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. They should cover no less than six square meters.
The quantity and density of spots should be controlled in line with nearby human flow and buildings.
There should be containers for ashes and butts, and proper fire extinguishing equipment.
Outdoor smoking spots should only have the single function, without other facilities such as desks, chairs, or vending machine. Warnings on the harm of smoking and health service guidance on smoking-cessation should be available.
According to officials from the Shanghai Health Commission, the move is one more step to boost the city's campaign on smoking control, which includes a complete ban on smoking indoors, encouraging people not to smoke while walking, and smoking only in designated spots.
"Smoking control is a long-term and tough task," said Chen De from the Shanghai Health Promotion Center, one of leading body in working out the standard. "We are steadily pushing the campaign step by step. Now it is from indoors to outdoor and tries to keep in line with developed countries and regions gradually."
People are required to smoke only in designated places outdoors.
