As of October 1, taxi drivers and passengers will not be allowed
to smoke in taxis. This Sunday details regarding fines are expected
when an anti-smoking campaign themed "Green Taxi" will be
launched.
In August of this year, the Beijing Municipal Transportation
Administration Bureau issued a notice banning taxi drivers from
smoking in their cabs. According to the notice, passengers may
photograph the smoking driver with their cell phones and report the
culprit to the bureau. After verification, the driver will be fined
100-200 yuan.
Driver Yang from the Beijing Yinhai Taxi Company says that he
does not smoke in his cab or allow others to smoke although he
likes smoking. "I stop the car and persuade my passenger to smoke
outside the vehicle. Then I continue driving after the passenger
has finished his smoke. We are not allowed to deny boarding to
passengers."
According to a draft regulation on the tobacco-free Games issued
by the municipal government, smoking will be prohibited at eight
Olympics-related areas and venues, inside hotels and restaurants,
on public transport and around the Olympic Village.
The concept of a "non-smoking" Olympic Games was initiated in
1988, and put into practice during the 1992 Barcelona Olympic
Games.
(China.org.cn by Li Xiaohua September 20, 2007)