Zhejiang Zhongyun Mabou Co., based in Songyang County, Zhejiang Province, has taken the unusual step of offering 100,000 yuan to encourage its employees to quit smoking. Employees can receive 500 yuan as long as they submit a letter of commitment to quit smoking, but violators will be fined 1,500 yuan.In the two months since qiqi was launched, 149 employees have submitted pledges and the company has cashed in 74,500 bonuses without being punished."The environment is better, the fire hazard is gone, and it was well spent."Ye Zhengyi, the company's deputy general manager, said.

The company has more than 500 employees and achieving a smoke-free environment has been the goal of chairman Ye Fuzhong.Since January, the company has been counting smokers and unions have been organizing smoking-cessation campaigns.In June, the company issued the "Management Notice on abstinence from smoking", with 100,000 yuan as a reward for employees to quit smoking. As long as employees submit a signed "smoking cessation commitment letter" to the general manager's office, they can get a bonus of 500 yuan for quitting smoking.Employees receiving the smoking cessation award must ensure that they do not smoke in the company's factory area, and those found guilty will be fined 1,500 yuan.Eighty percent of the 191 smokers at the company have so far submitted a letter of commitment.