The Legislative Affairs Committee of Tianjin’s People’s Congress approved "The Tobacco Control Regulation of Tianjin" on 8 October 2011, marking a milestone in the legislative process.

The People's Congress will vote on the proposed legislation by the end of the year. Experience shows that the most serious challenges are expected during its review at the Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC) level. Once consensus is achieved in the LAC, the voting during the last review in the People's Congress is not much more than a formality.

Tianjin's Municipal Government established a Health Promotion Committee in response to a request by the LAC of the People's Congress.  The Committee’s role is to aid preparations for enforcing the smokefree laws. The Health Promotion Committee is headed by the Vice Mayor whose main function is to oversee and coordinate the efforts there. Statistics show that nearly half of all male adults in Tianjin – and more than one-fourth of all adults – smoke. The law put forward for vote to the People's Congress proposes to ban smoking in nearly all public and work places, with the exception of restaurants and discothèques, where smoking rooms will be allowed.

In Lanzhou, a city where more than 30% of adults smoke and over 60% of adult males smoke, the Municipal Government’s Executive Committee approved "The Tobacco Control Regulation of Lanzhou", which proposes to ban smoking in all public and work places. The proposed legislation will shortly be submitted to the Lanzhou People's Congress for up to three reviews by the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee and the Legislative Affairs Committee.

The Union has supported the China Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the past two years to carry out the seven cities project under the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. The Union has worked with local partners to promote smokefree legislation locally in the absence of a national tobacco control law. The locally passed laws are crucial and are easier to implement since the tobacco industry is very powerful on a national level. Supporters hope that these local laws will eventually result in the formulation of national tobacco control laws.

Earlier this year, Harbin became the first city to pass tobacco control legislation and it is now working out the process of enforcement, providing an example that will help as more cities pass similar laws. The Harbin Health Bureau has submitted a proposal to the Mayor of the Harbin Municipal Government to set up a Secondhand Smoke Prevention Enforcement Lead Group. A detailed enforcement plan has been developed by the Harbin Health Bureau in preparation for 31 May 2012 when the law takes effect in the city.