Huangshan Municipal Government has recently issued a provisional measure on banning smoking from the public areas in Huangshan City and the new measure has already been put into force.

As the first of its kind in Anhui Province, the new measure says that smoking should be banned from such public places as museums, archive halls, cinemas, theaters, gymnasiums, shopping malls, clinics, classrooms, kindergartens and public transportation areas like buses and taxis. It says that smokers shall be punished for smoking in these areas.

In addition, the measure stipulates that smoking should be controlled in other areas like banks, telecom service halls, post offices, bus stations, railway stations, docks, airport waiting rooms, airport meeting rooms, and a special smoking area should be arranged for such public places that are over 500 square meters.

Local heath departments will be responsible for the enforcement and they will send special personnel to manage the work. However it is still unclear what sort of punishment violators will face.