The Smoking Ban: Beijing-Style

Last Sunday a smoking ban went into effect. Sort of. No bars have received any word from officials in the weeks leading up to the ban and there seems to be no actual fine despite 30,000 RMB rumors. In the last week, some bars have taken up the ban – for the moment – while most have stayed as smoky as before.

Using some excellent investigative skills we pulled together some places people have been this past week.

The ban – as far as we know – has been enacted in Paddy O’Shea’s, Colibri, The Bookworm, and Illy Coffee.

Partial bans have popped up as well. The Den is smoke-free until 10pm, otherwise known as the time the police head off. Hotel G has a ban after 6pm.

Don’t expect too many more bars to start banning smoking, and it’s likely those that have will reverse shortly and invite the smokers back in.

Those looking for a permanent smoke-free option can head to Mao Mao Chong or Great Leap Brewery where the owners have opted to ban smoking on their own, long before the ban.