Taiwan aims to ban smoking while walking

Taiwan plans to ban smoking while walking next year in a bid to promote a cleaner and healthier environment, an official said Friday.

The ban, currently being drafted by the Environmental Protection Administration, will also make it illegal to smoke while riding a motorbike or driving car.

"We hope the new rules will prevent pedestrians, motorcycle riders and car drivers from throwing cigarette butts all over the place," said the official, with the administration.

"It's also for their own safety as smoking while driving is distracting," he said.

Taiwan has tightened its anti-smoking rules in recent years and banned smoking in all indoor public places in January.

Lung cancer has long been a leading cause of death in Taiwan, which has about five million smokers out of a total population of 23 million, according to the government.

aw/ph/pch