SHANGHAI: The Shanghai municipal government has begun recruiting about 20,000 volunteers to help enforce the tighter regulations against smoking in public places that will take effect on March 1.

Those coming forth are from all walks of life, including students, restaurant workers, security guards and government employees in the municipality's 18 districts and counties. Each district or county is required to set up an anti-smoking team of 1,000 volunteers.

"We've just started recruiting," said an officer of the Shanghai Health Promotion Commission, which set up the program to recruit volunteers.