Macau started the new year of 2015 with a smoking ban, which will be imposed in bars, dancehalls saunas and massage parlours after the buffer period of three years has passed.
The Tobacco Control Office says if multiple violations are found in a venue, the venue will be added to a watch list, which is under tight monitoring by the office. The Office also says the venue will be regarded as a “black spot” if multiple cases of smoking are found there, adding that they will increase their patrols to these venues.
“If we discover any behaviours which violate the laws, we won’t tolerate, and we will issue penalty tickets as we did in the past. If we give many penalty tickets in the same place, that venue will become a black spot, and we will beef up inspections to the same place. We hope to make the environment smoking-free with the measures”, said Tobacco Control Office director Tang Chi Ho.
The Tobacco Control Office patrolled the relevant places with the police near the Dynasty Plaza at midnight to remind the staff to stick smoke banning labels on walls. Following the new smoking ban, some people went outside of the bars to smoke.
There are currently 50 tobacco control inspectors working for the Office.
The Office says another batch of 40 newly employed people are under training, and expects that they may start working in the beginning of next year. (macaunews/TDM)
