Beijing authorities have collected fines from various violators since the city's smoking ban took effect last month. But many reportedly defy the ban as they secretly smoke behind closed doors.

Want China Times reported that enforcers of Beijing's smoking ban were able to collect around $16,120 or about 100,000 yuan during the campaign last month.

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Health official Gao Xaiojun claimed that his office  obtained more than 3,000 tips. More than half of the complaints informed them about people smoking inside their offices or at restaurants.

On June 1, lighting up a cigarette was prohibited in all public vehicles, offices and public venues with a roof overhead in Beijing. According to the regulation, any person caught violating the smoking ban will be fined around $32 or 200 yuan. Business establishments, who fail to prevent their customers or employees from smoking, would also be fined a maximum amount of around $1,600 or 10,000 yuan according to Global Post.

Authorities usually rely on complaints if the smokers are inside an office or room. Vice director Wang Benjin, of the capital's health inspectors said that officials do not conduct surprise visits to offices unless someone informs them.

Anti-smoking advocate Wu Yiqun said that the Beijing ban mandates that business establishments must have people in place to enforce the ban within their facilites.

The smoking ban also states that cigarette vendors are not allowed to sell their wares anywhere within a hundred meter radius of a school. But more than a thousand of theses cigarette stores are reportedly located within prohibited zones.

The latest estimates shows that 300 million Chinese citizens are smokers, according to Want China Times. The success of the smoking ban in Beijing is expected to encourage other major urban areas in China to enfoce similar rules.

There are  more than 4 million smokers in Beijing, but only a thousand enforcers to keep them in line. Nonetheless, anti-smoking campaign organizer Gao Xaiojun is confident that many Chinese smokers will drop the habit although it may take a while.

In China, it is not uncommon to receive cigarettes as gifts. Government officials usually give each other branded and pricey cigarettes. Taxes from the manufacture and sale of cigarettes also provide substantial funds to local government coffers.

Tagsanti-smoking, China Smoking Ban, China Cigarettes