Source: https://staging.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/compare/smokefree/109
Timestamp: 2019-08-21 17:48:05
Document Index: 367933250

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 8']

The Tobacco Act does not contain a definition of “workplace.” The lack of definition for this key term can hinder implementation of other substantive provisions of a law. To align with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines, the law should contain a definition of “workplace” in accordance with the definition provided in the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines.
The law does not provide a definition of “public transportation.” The lack of definition for this key term could hinder implementation of substantive provisions of the law. The law should provide a definition of “public transportation” in accordance with the definition contained in the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines.
The law does not contain a definition of “second hand smoke.” Although this term is not defined, a definition is not strictly necessary because the term is not used in the Act or Regulations. The law’s smoke free measures provide that “smoking is prohibited in” specified places, rather than, for example, “no person shall be exposed to second hand smoke” in specified places.
The law does not contain a definition of “public place.” Although not strictly necessary to interpret the law (which prohibits or restricts smoking in specified types of places), a definition should be provided in order to align with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines, which require protection from tobacco smoke in all public places.
The law and regulations do not contain a definition of “indoor” or “enclosed.” However, the Smoking Room Regulations define “semi-outdoor” as an establishment with “no walls or its total open areas directly facing outside are more than one-fourth of its total wall areas.” By implication, if a place has more than one-fourth of its total wall space contained with walls, it is indoors. This aligns with the intent of FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines.
The law generally prohibits smoking in public transportation stations and passenger rooms. However, there are smoking rooms in the Taipei International Airport. Therefore, the regulatory status “Some Restrictions” is assigned.
Article 15 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act requires the placement of no-smoking signs at the entrances of places where smoking is prohibited. Article 16 of the THPA requires the placement of signs at designated smoking areas for places that may have smoking areas.
Failure to post signs is punishable by a fine of no less than NTD 10,000 but no more than NTD 50,000. A person who fails to correct the violation (by posting signs) within the specified period of time may be fined repeatedly and continuously for each failure to correct. In addition, a person who violates any provision of the Act is subject to having his/her identity and the nature of the violation published.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines in that it provides for compounded fines for repeat violations. To more fully align with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines, the drafters of the law should consider other types of penalties, such as license suspension or revocation.
Article 15 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act provides that, in places where smoking is prohibited, smoking related objects shall not be supplied. This is interpreted as prohibiting ashtrays in smoke free places.
Supplying smoking related items (such as ashtrays) is punishable by a fine of no less than NTD 10,000 but no more than NTD 50,000. A person who fails to correct the violation (by removing ashtrays) within the specified period of time may be fined repeatedly and continuously for each failure to correct. In addition, a person who violates any provision of the Act is subject to having his/her identity and the nature of the violation published.
The law requires “the person in charge of a place where smoking is prohibited or restricted, as well as the employees thereof, [to] stop those who smoke in the non-smoking places.” The law does not specify a penalty for those who violate this provision.
A person who smokes in a smoke free place or area is subject to a fine of no less than NTD 2,000 but no more than NTD 10,000.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines with respect to penalties for those who smoke where smoking is prohibited.