Smoke ban 'mission impossible'

No laws or enforcement to support control, medical official says

BEIJING - Vice-health minister Huang Jiefu slammed local health authorities on Tuesday for inadequate moves to stub out smoking in healthcare facilities, amid renewed efforts by the country to meet a full smoking ban in public places nationwide by next year.

"Some regional health authorities don't care and are taking no action, even as this country of 350 million smokers is facing great challenges to realize the target in nine months," Huang, who also heads the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, said at an anti-smoking conference attended by health officials and hospital directors.