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Beijing tries to clear the air

New Beijing regulations ban smoking in restaurants and other public places. (Image: Rona Chang/Flickr)

New Beijing regulations ban smoking in restaurants and other public places. (Image: Rona Chang/Flickr)

If you travel to China on business, you know that breathing fresh air can be a problem — not only due to the sun-blocking pollution in major cities, but also to residents’ devotion to smoking cigarettes in public.

But now, according to the BBC,  the city of Beijing is taking tough steps to control that habit.  Effective this month, the city’s new rules will impose fines to eliminate cigarette smoking in restaurants, in offices, and on public transportation, putting “thousands of inspectors” in the field as enforcers.

An individual who breaks the rules could be fined $32, and businesses that permit smoking could have to pay up to 50 times that amount.

Related: Extinguish airport smoking for good? 

Still, the habit is deeply ingrained in Chinese society so it will be a challenge for Beijing’s new squad of no-smoking enforcers to root it out.

Does the prevalence of public smoking in other countries surprise or bother you when overseas? Leave your comments below.

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Extinguish airport smoking for good?

Atlanta's airport will stand by its smoking lounges. (Image: Grant Frederiksen/Flickr)

Atlanta’s airport will stand by its smelly smoking lounges. (Image: Grant Frederiksen/Flickr)

Fewer and fewer U.S. airports still offer special lounges where smokers can light up in a controlled environment, but Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International has apparently decided to stick with them in spite of a specific request from the U.S. Surgeon general.

According to Atlanta’s WXIA TV News, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently said in a tweet: “World’s busiest airport can be its healthiest. Make Atlanta Airport tobacco-free.”

But when the station talked to airport officials, they said they have no plans to eliminate ATL‘s 12 smoking lounges even though other major airports have done just that. The report said 28 of the nation’s 35 largest airports now ban all smoking in their terminals.

The Atlanta Airport smoking lounges were recently renovated, getting new ventilation systems, windows and flooring. Officials said as long as the smoke is contained within the lounges, it shouldn’t present a problem to other passengers. However a recent CDC study refutes that claim, and I know I get a several whiffs of second hand smoke when near the lounges.

WABE reports that Phillip Morris paid for the lounges initially, but that the City of Atlanta is responsible for maintaining them.

Should ATL and other airports get rid of smoking lounges… or not? Please leave your comments below.

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