Nepal bans smoking in public

KATMANDU (AP) ― Nepal has banned smoking in public and threatens to punish repeat offenders with steep fines.

Airports, hotels, restaurants, government offices and public transport will now be smoke-free under the new law that went into effect Sunday.

Health Ministry official Komal Prasad Acharya says government workers will issue fines of 100 rupees ($1.40) to people violating the ban and up to 100,000 rupees ($1,400) for repeat offenders.

More than 40 percent of Nepalese smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products including hand-rolled bidis and hookah pipes, with more people puffing in the countryside than in cities.