Tinkering with the tobacco regulations

Shanghai is once again toying with the idea of implementing a citywide smoking ban.

Already a public hearing to be held by the municipal people's congress - the local legislature - on its draft legislation has turned into a joke ahead of its scheduled meeting next Monday.

Even the name of the draft rules, which uses the word "smoking control" instead of "smoking ban" as in previous attempts to regulate the habit, is a huge setback.