The ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces seems to be only weakly enforced in pubs and restaurants in Shanghai.

There were 16 violations of the municipal ban on smoking among the 200 venues monitored during a recent investigation by the Shanghai Institute of Public Health Supervision, the watch dog for non-smoking bans.

The institute took eight categories of public places which have introduced smoking bans for inspection, including hospitals, stadiums, pubs and restaurants, as world "No Tobacco Day" approaches.

According to Qiu Wei, director of the Infectious Disease Supervision Section of the institute, bans on tobacco smoking were being well enforced in schools, stadiums, cinemas and waiting rooms.

"People have become aware of the harm caused by smoking, especially passive smoking in public areas. Anyone smoking in a cinema can expect contempt and furious objections from those around and a warning from the working staff," said Qiu.

But entertainment venues such as bars, pubs and restaurants appear weak in implementing the bans.

"Although I know smoking is banned in pubs, it is not easy for us to convince our customers to stop smoking," said a head waiter at the X-treme club in Xintiandi.

The bar provides ashtrays for customers who often smoke while enjoying the music and a beer. But according to anti-smoking regulations, a bar like this is forbidden to provide customers with ashtrays.

A fine ranging from 6,000 yuan (US$720) to 13,000 yuan (US$1,560) can be levied on those violating the bans. But despite the potential fines, bars and restaurants are reluctant to stop their customers from smoking.

Their concern is that a ban on smoking will reduce the number of customers or cause those who remain to spend less time and money. They choose to accept the fines rather than offending their customers.

"Where there is booze, there is smoking," said Gan Xingfa, vice secretary of the Shanghai Association on Smoking and Health. "Alcohol is connected with smoking."

A survey by the association found 22 per cent of adolescents smoke occasionally, especially when they drink. They then become addicted.

Addiction experts have found a powerful link between alcohol and tobacco. The vast majority of alcoholics are smokers or people who once smoked.

Bars and restaurants are the primary places where young people smoke, but also the places where the bans are easily violated.

"Smoking is socializing to some extent. Many people smoke when they are reluctant to refuse a cigarette offered by a potential client or a future friend. It's a custom," Qiu said.

"But smoking in public places does not only bring harm to the smokers, but also to other customers and working staff. You inhale the smoke exhaled by smokers, which is called 'passive smoking' and is even dangerous than smoking itself," Gan said.

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals in the form of particles and gases. Many potentially toxic gases are present in higher concentrations in sidestream smoke than in mainstream smoke and nearly 85 per cent of the smoke in a room results from sidestream smoke.

Some of the immediate effects of passive smoking include eye irritation, headache, cough, sore throat, dizziness and nausea. Short term exposure to tobacco smoke also has a measurable effect on the heart of non-smokers. Just 30 minutes of exposure is enough to reduce coronary blood flow. In the longer term, passive smokers suffer an increased risk of a range of smoking-related diseases.

Shanghai began to adopt bans on smoking from 1994. The bans involve eight categories of enclosed public places. According to the bans, ashtrays and advertisements for tobacco are forbidden in these areas.

"But it is not law. Its legal force is weak," Qiu said.

Under the rules, individual should be asked to stop smoking. But in fact, bars or restaurants will not move to offend their smoking customers unless other customers express strong objection to the smoke.

(Shanghai Star  May 28, 2004)