Guangzhou lifts smoking ban in offices
- Source: Global Times
- [16:58 March 17 2010]
- Comments
The Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress is about to lift the smoking ban in work places, including offices, conference rooms and auditoriums.
The Standing Committee of the municipal people's congress said Tuesday smoking is only banned in public places, and since work places are not considered public, smoking is allowed in these areas in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province.
The draft also relaxes the ban in restaurants, where smoking was previously completely prohibited. Now Guangzhou smokers can enjoy a puff in restaurants smaller than 150 square meters or has a seating capacity of less than 75 seats.
"Smoking should be banned in workplaces like offices and conference rooms. I don't want my fellow workers to become second-hand smokers," said Yang Weiwen, a smoker in Guangzhou, who is considering quitting the habit.
"Smoking in government offices should be banned first," said Zhang Hongxia, a non-smoking lawyer in the southern Chinese city.
How do you define public places? If there is more than one person in office, then it should be defined as a public place, and smoking should not be allowed, according to Ouyang Binghui, vice-chairman of the Guangzhou Red Cross Society.
