This southern economic hub may snuff out smoking on official occasions once a new law takes effect.
"The proposal aims to accelerate the implementation of the new regulation and create the environment for a non-smoking Asian Games in 2010," said Su Jinzhong, deputy director of the standing committee of the municipal people's congress and one of the deputies who submitted the proposal.
The law bans smoking in kindergartens, cinemas, auditoriums and meeting rooms of government departments, State enterprises and public institutions, as well as places where there are pregnant women, while limiting smoking in bars, dance halls and game rooms.
Those who break the law will be warned. Anyone continuing to smoke will be fined between 100 and 150 yuan. And those who sell cigarettes on May 31, world non-smoking day, will be fined 1,000 to 3,000 yuan.
Cheng Yuehua, a lawyer in Guangzhou, said: "However, the feasibility of implementing the regulation also has to be taken into account."
Cheng said working out who will enforce the regulation, how to define a smoker, how to judge the age of a cigarette buyer are among the issues that should be considered.
Many smokers suggest smoking areas should be set up. "I know smoking is not good for my health; however, it is not easy to get rid of the addiction so quickly," said Chen Ge, a local citizen who has smoked for at least a decade.
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