Beijing Restaurants Warned For Slacking On Smoking Ban

Hai Di Lao may be in hot water.

The hot pot restaurant is one of thirteen chains in Beijing that were given warnings this week for not properly enforcing the capital’s smoking ban, according to the Global Times.

Each restaurant that was warned had received at least five complaints. One restaurant had 48.

Next week, government-approved inspectors will raid the aforementioned ‘warned’ restaurants – and those who are not strictly enforcing the ban will be punished.

The smoking ban was launched on June 1, 2015, and it applies to restaurants and bars, public transport and entertainment venues. The vast majority of complaints received by the Beijing Tobacco Control Association concerned restaurants.

In the year-and-change since it went into effect, over 500 companies have been punished. 

[Image via South China Morning Post]