China butts out smoking at Olympics

In the Olympic host city of Beijing, officials are gearing up to enforce a smoking ban ahead of the September games.

New regulations, which will come into force on May 1st, will prohibit smoking in sports venues, parks, on public transport and in schools.

Restaurants and bars are exempt from the ban, but will have to create special smoking areas.

The Chinese are the world's heaviest smokers, and nearly a quarter of Beijing's residents smoke.