Indoor smoking ban enforced

Under the new regulation, the air-flow standards for these smoking rooms are similar to the requirements for quarantine wards for highly contagious patients, which means expensive construction with costs of at least NT$400,000 per unit.

On the other hand, airports have closed their smoking rooms and local air carriers are barred from selling cigarettes to passengers during flights under the new law.

Meanwhile, in Taichung, the local Department of Health also issued its first ticket to a hypermarket for displaying cigarettes on shelves that are accessible to consumers.

In a bid to discourage violations of the ban, health authorities are offering rewards to people who report such violations.

Anyone who spots people smoking in a no-smoking area can call in on the hotline 0800-531-531.

However, in order to receive the reward, the informant must provide material evidence, such as photos of individuals caught in the act, so that the authorities can levy a fine.

Under the law, the last public places in which smoking is allowed indoors are nightclubs or bars that do not admit patrons under the age of 18 after 9 p.m.

In addition to implementing the indoor smoking ban, the Cabinet-level Department of Health is currently lobbying the Legislative Yuan to pass a bill to increase the health tax on tobacco products from the current NT$10 to NT$20, which will raise the unit price of cigarettes from the average NT$55 per pack to NT$70 per pack.

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