Campaign to promote coming anti-smoking measures

The photo shows the 1st gesture: cover your nose with your hand to signal "I am bothered by your smoke." [Photo:Jinghua Times]

Beijing will roll out strict anti-smoking regulations on June 1, 2015. In a pre-launch campaign for the anti-tabacco measures, which kicked off this past Sunday, officials explained the forthcoming regulations in detail and initiated a series of activities concerning the tobacco control regulations, including hosting a vote for a recognized hand-gesture to signify when smoking is not okay and the activation of the "Smoke Free Beijing" WeChat public account.

What is the punishment for violation of the regulations?

According to details of the regulations released to the public, people will be strictly banned from smoking in Beijing's working places, along its public walkways and aboard public transportation. Smoking will also not be allowed in queues. Those in violation of the new regulations will be fined up to 200 yuan for an individual and 10,000 yuan for a company or workplace found violating the anti-tobacco measures.

As part of their pre-launch campaign, authorities are asking the public to vote on a gesture that is meant to be recognized city-wide to convey that smoking is not okay in a given area.

The three gestures up for voting are:

1st gesture: cover your nose with your hand to signal "I am bothered by your smoke."

2nd gesture: Making the letter "T" with your hands to tell someone "please stop smoking."

3rd gesture: hold a hand up to the smoker to signal "smoking is not allowed in here."

Local citizens can cast their votes through the official "Smoke Free Beijing" Wechat account or over the phone by dialing 12320; the gesture with the highest votes will be selected as the winner.

How to monitor the enforcement of the new Tobacco Control regulations?

Fang Laiying, the director of the Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission, said that the city's local public health ministry, tobacco monopoly and local department of commerce will monitor violations of the new regulations on local streets. Yet the specific procedures for monitoring are still under discussion, said Liu Zejun, director of Beijing Patriotic Public Health Campaign Committee.

Local citizens can also report smoking violations to the public Wechat account with uploaded evidences such as pictures or videos; or by calling 12320.