China’s smoking ban takes effect

China’s latest ban on smoking in indoor public venues went into effect on Sunday, prohibiting Chinese from lighting up in hotels and restaurants but leaving workplaces untouched, the Wall Street Journal reported. However, state media reports have cast doubt on the ban’s likely effectiveness; the Xinhua News Agency quoted experts as saying that smokers and venue owners are likely to ignore the ruling because it fails to specify punishments for violators. China’s Health Ministry released the ruling in late March as part of a set of regulations on health management in public places that includes guidelines for ventilation, the use of disinfectants, air quality and pest control. Nearly 30% of adults in China smoke, including around half of male doctors. Smoking is linked to the death of at least 1 million people in China every year, according to government statistics.