Health watchdog clarifies 'rewards' for not smoking

A regulation issued by China's health watchdog which rewards its own staff for successfully quitting smoking for a year has drawn criticism online, but the department has responded by claiming the reward is merely verbal praise rather than money.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission issued the regulation on Friday. It mainly focused on forbidding indoor smoking in the commission's buildings and prohibited the presence of ashtrays or cigarettes.

One clause said that staff members who quit smoking for one year will be given rewards, and people who violate the regulation by being found with cigarettes or ashtrays twice will be prevented from being recognized as outstanding staff members.

Some Net users supported the move, but others questioned what these "rewards" might be, and whether it could result in additional benefits for staff.

On Saturday, the publicity office of the commission declared that the rewards consisted of verbal praise and did not involve money.

The central government released a circular in December 2013, which bans officials from smoking in public areas, including schools, hospitals, sporting venues and public transport facilities.

The commission says its new regulation is "to execute the requirement" of the central government's circular last year and "to act as a role model in creating a cigarette free environment, protecting staff members and visitors from the harm of tobacco."

The then health ministry banned smoking within medical and health system across the whole country in 2011.

Suo Chao, a spokesperson of the Chinese Association of Tobacco Control, praised the commission's leading role in the tobacco control, saying that smoking has caused significant harm to both smokers and those who passively inhale smoke.