Shanghai's smoking ban was implemented from March 1, and three months down the line it looks like it's here to stay. The ban means smoking is not allowed in any enclosed public area across the city and several outdoor spaces. That means no more lighting up in restaurants, bars, offices, bus stops, hotels and workplaces, plus other specific locations, such as outside schools.
It’s also the end of those grimy indoor smoking rooms at the likes of Pudong airport, railway stations and shopping malls. Those caught breaking the law face fines of 50-200RMB, and companies will incur a fine of 2,000-30,000RMB.
Three ways you can stop the crave
Go vaping
Luckily for would-be non-smokers, Shanghai is alive with alternative smoking bars and e-cigarette hangouts. Try Vape Bear (685 Dingxi Lu), which has two locations across the city and offers e-cigarette kits from around 250RMB, Vapor Worldwide (421 Changle Lu), which imports all products from the US, or trendy Shanghai Vape with four locations from Jingan to Hongkou. Shanghai Vape also has a number of groups and forums to bring together vapers moving from traditional cigarettes to those of the electronic variety, and can get you started from as little as 200RMB.
Hypnotherapy
Fancy trying something different? Consider hypnotherapy to work those cigarettes out of your subconscious. ‘Peak Performance Pilot’ Jeff Tan of REV Training and Coaching says hypnotherapy helps people quit smoking by ‘retraining or fine tuning brain patterns’. Tan offers a three-month programme for 3,000RMB where would-be non-smokers come at least once a week for an hour until they’ve kicked the habit.
REV Training and Coaching is at 15B, 831 Xinzha Lu, near Shimen Er Lu, Jingan district (6267 2781; revinspires.me).
Get appy
This great non-smoking app is available in Chinese (simplified and traditional), plus eight European languages, Japanese, Korean and Russian. Kwit takes users through a series of levels as you work through quitting, offers motivational cards for when you feel a craving and statistics that track how much money you’ve saved and the amount of time since you last smoked, with the ability to choose currency including RMB.
It's available for free, and an upgrade to the ad-free premium version goes for 45RMB. You can download the app on iTunes.
Still on the cigs?
Products to help you kick the habit are in short supply in Shanghai stores (don't be disheartened if a pharmacist laughs in your face when you ask about nicotine patches). But we've tracked down a few to have in your toolkit.
Lan Bai E-cigarette
39RMB, Guo Da Drugstores.
San Jods nicotine replacement spray
88RMB, JD.com.
Yanfunbao nicotine patches
69RMB, JD.com.