The latest offensive in Shanghai's long and drawn out war with secondhand smoke is scheduled for March of next year. City officials have announced that from March 1, there will be an official ban on smoking in public places. The ban follows the same one enacted in Beijing a few years back.

Remember that "Reality Check" we did indoor smoking ban in Jing'an? This time, the new smoking ban will cover ALL the indoor public places and indoor working places -- hotels, restaurants, bars, KTVs, cabs and public transportation. Smoking rooms in Shanghai airports and railway stations have already been shut down.

*** For outdoor areas, the smoking ban will become stricter as well. Affecting places such as kindergartens, schools, child hospitals, outdoor performance / sports areas, public space of historical and cultural sites, and also transportation waiting areas. Public indoor spaces that do not enforce the regulation would be facing a fine of 2,000rmb to 30,000rmb, while individuals will be fined from 50rmb to 200rmb. Skeptical? From our own experience in Beijing, the ban worked to curb smoking in a lot of bars and restaurants, particularly ones geared to expat clientele, and a lot of people embraced the new laws. At the time, the ban was sporadically enforced with venues receiving fines if they were caught letting their customers smoke. Since then, Beijing has slide back a bit on the smoking ban, and the majority of (non Western) restaurants and most bars allow their guests to smoke, and even still provide ashtrays. We'll have to wait and see how it goes in Shanghai. If you're looking to quit the habit, check out our guide on where to buy E-Cigs.