Smoking ban fines tallied

The city's health authority fined 107 individuals and 252 venues for violating the local smoking ban in 2013, authorities said in a white book Monday.

The authority gave out a total of 481,600 yuan ($78,322) in fines last year. It fined eight government agencies and four employees a total of 47,200 yuan after undercover investigators visited government offices. A total of 111 individuals and 270 venues have been fined during the first three years of the ban.

However, the authority pointed out that awareness of the ban declined to its lowest level since it took effect before the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

The authority said that the smoking rate in banned areas dropped to 17.2 percent last year. But the ratio of venues that advise people not to smoke, or have a law enforcement presence to enforce the ban, has also dropped.

The health authority said the government might draft an amendment to the current regulation during the next five years to extend the ban to all indoor facilities in the city.