As of October 1, taxi drivers and passengers will not be allowed to smoke in taxis. This Sunday details regarding fines are expected when an anti-smoking campaign themed "Green Taxi" will be launched.

In August of this year, the Beijing Municipal Transportation Administration Bureau issued a notice banning taxi drivers from smoking in their cabs. According to the notice, passengers may photograph the smoking driver with their cell phones and report the culprit to the bureau. After verification, the driver will be fined 100-200 yuan.

Driver Yang from the Beijing Yinhai Taxi Company says that he does not smoke in his cab or allow others to smoke although he likes smoking. "I stop the car and persuade my passenger to smoke outside the vehicle. Then I continue driving after the passenger has finished his smoke. We are not allowed to deny boarding to passengers."

According to a draft regulation on the tobacco-free Games issued by the municipal government, smoking will be prohibited at eight Olympics-related areas and venues, inside hotels and restaurants, on public transport and around the Olympic Village.

The concept of a "non-smoking" Olympic Games was initiated in 1988, and put into practice during the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.

(China.org.cn September 20, 2007)