Smoking ban may expand

Beijing's top legislative body may expand the scope of no-smoking areas in the second half of this year, the China News Service reported.  [Special coverage]

The biggest change will ban people in any public place with a covered roof from smoking, said Li Xiaojuan, director of the legislative affairs office under the Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal People's Congress. The current no-smoking areas are mainly high-density public places, which do not include cafes and public corridors, Li added.

When municipal lawmakers sought public comment on the draft regulations, around 90 percent of people surveyed approved of the expanded smoking ban.