A shopping centre in southern China has introduced a new way to stop people from smoking inside men’s toilet cubicles. The glass doors will turn transparent under one condition.
Two shopping malls in Shenzhen, the Shuibei International Centre and the Shuibei Jinzuo Building, have resorted to a new technology. They have installed special glass doors that stay opaque during normal use. However, they turn transparent within seconds if smoke is detected, according to the South China Morning Post.
A notice warns users that the glass will reveal them if they smoke. It jokingly says they might become “famous online”.
In China, Shenzhen is one of the cities that keeps a strict no-smoking rule for all indoor public places. Shopping centres there also follow that policy.
The video of this system went viral on 16 December. Since then, it has garnered considerable praise. Many people believe that this is the only solution that may actually discourage smokers.
Earlier methods, such as warnings and small fines, rarely proved effective. Most people ignored them. Some users on social media now want this technology to be implemented nationwide. They think smoking in public washrooms can be controlled more effectively with this.
While many people welcomed the new glass system, some raised concerns about privacy.
According to a staff member at the Jinzuo shopping centre, malls started testing the glass in August. After shop owners and visitors gave positive feedback, they started running it full-time.
Earlier, the centres received many complaints about people smoking inside the washrooms. Therefore, they introduced this system to address the issue.
To avoid privacy issues, they will adjust the smoke sensor so that it reacts only to real smoke, not steam or perfumes. A reset button will also be placed nearby in case the glass turns transparent by mistake.
According to local media reports, the idea is not illegal though there are legal risks. Lawyer Lu Weiguo thinks that the malls can be held legally responsible if the glass malfunctions and violates users’ rights, the publication added.
Meanwhile, social media users have hailed the new technology.
“Shenzhen is truly one of the most pioneering cities in China,” SCMP quoted one of them as posting.
Another wrote, “I suggest that the shopping centres also install showering systems triggered by smoke in cubicles.”
“We really need such technology in toilets across China. Every time I go to public toilets, I get choked by smoke,” came from another.
India has clear rules to control smoking. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 law limits where people can smoke and how tobacco can be promoted. They also include strict health warnings and campaigns aimed at protecting young people.
Smoking has been fully banned in all public places across the country since 2 October 2008. This covers offices, hospitals, schools, government buildings, trains, buses, railway stations, bus stands and even open stadiums.
Owners or managers of these places must display boards that typically say “No Smoking Area” or “Smoking Here is an Offence”. They cannot keep ashtrays or matchboxes.
Breaking the rules can lead to fines, usually up to ₹200 under COTPA.
Selling tobacco within 100 yards of any school or college is banned. Shops cannot sell to anyone under the age of 18. All packets must carry large pictorial health warnings.
Almost all advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products is prohibited on TV, films, online platforms and even in shops. E-cigarettes are fully banned nationwide.