Beijing sees 2,719 fined over smoke ban

More than 2,700 people in Beijing have received fines for illegal public smoking since the city introduced China's toughest tobacco control regulation 18 months ago.

A total of 2,719 people were fined a total of 142,500 yuan ($20,700) between June 1 last year, when the regulation took effect, and Nov 30 this year, the Beijing Commission of Health and Family Planning, the city's top health authority, announced on Tuesday.

Health law enforcement officers also levied total fines of more than 1.8 million yuan on 663 premises' owners for failing to apply the regulation, the commission said.