No Butts: Beijing Bans Lighting Up in Public Places

The new laws will prohibit smoking in restaurants, offices and on public transport.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Public smoking is banned in the Chinese capital of Beijing beginning Monday, following the introduction of a new law, according to media reports.

According to the BBC, regulations against smoking existed in Beijing, but were ineffective. The new laws prohibit smoking in restaurants, offices and on public transport. Those who break the law will receive a 200-yuan ($32) fine, with thousands of inspectors being deployed to enforce the new regulations. 

Huge No-Smoking signs put up at Bird's Nest in Beijing to promote new and toughest smoking ban pic.twitter.com/XSf9pklkJ9

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) 1 июня 2015

Smoking in public places was first banned in China in 2011, but smokers disregarded the regulations. A new restriction was agreed to by lawmakers last November, with a smoking ban effective beginning June 1.

According to the BBC, over 300 million people smoke in China, with more than one million people dying from smoking-related diseases annually.