BEIJING, June 1 -- Shanghai health authorities have urged city lawmakers to expand the number of public venues where smoking is banned and increase penalties against people who violate the rules.

    The call for action to protect local citizens from second-hand smoke came yesterday on World No Tobacco Day.

    Zhou Yanqin, vice director of Shanghai Health Supervision Agency, said the city's People Congress is expected to take up the control issue this year.

    Starting on Monday, city and district-level health supervision agencies began an inspection campaign targeting public places where smoking is not allowed.

    Under controls enacted in 1994 and updated in 1997, smoking is not allowed in entertainment venues such as cinemas and ballrooms, culture venues including museums, stores larger than 200 square meters, hospitals, schools and kindergartens. The ban covers 9,800 sites in the city.

    Early reports on the results of the weeklong campaign were not available.

    But last year, 102 places of business were warned for violating the ban, and 65 were fined a total 26,300 yuan (US$3,247).

    "Most hospitals and schools are following the rules, but only 20 to 30 percent of the ballrooms, game parlors and tea houses were controlling smoking," Zhou said.

    Many entertainment venues on the control list failed to post no-smoking signs or set up separate smoking areas. Some even sold cigarettes, authorities said.

    One of the problems in ensuring enforcement is the lack of effective penalties.

    "The rule allows health authorities to impose fines of only 500 yuan to 1,000 yuan against venue owners, which is not a significant amount," Zhou said. "Moreover, we can't punish the smokers."

    She said it is important to strengthen punishment and also fine smokers who don't comply with the ban.

    Authorities are also encouraging venues not covered by the ban to voluntarily restrict the spread of second-hand smoke. At least a few have complied.

    "We have a non-smoking zone in our restaurants, and many guests prefer to have dinner there," said Lisa Li of Xiaonanguo Restaurant, which has many branches around the city.

    Sixty percent of the city's adult men and 3 percent of its adult women are smokers, according to the Disease Prevention and Control Center.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)