Taipei: Taipei will designate the Dihua Street shopping district and surrounding areas as smoke-free zones starting Aug. 1, with fines of up to NT$10,000 (US$313.05) for smoking outside designated areas. The city's Department of Health announced the measure, emphasizing the initiative aims to protect the public's right to avoid secondhand smoke and foster a healthier outdoor environment.
According to Focus Taiwan, the ban will encompass the Dihua Street shopping district, which is bounded by Minle Street, Nanjing West Road, Xining North Road, and Minsheng West Road. Additionally, the Chifeng Street shopping district near the Xinzhongshan Linear Park is also set to be designated a smoke-free zone from Aug. 1. Smoking will be prohibited within the area bounded by Section 2 of Zhongshan North Road, Nanjing West Road, Section 2 of Chengde Road, and Minsheng West Road.
The Department of Health cautioned that violators smoking outside designated areas will face fines ranging from NT$2,000 to NT$10,000 under the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. This move follows Taipei's previous ban on smoking in the Ximending shopping district, which took effect on June 1.