A smoking ban could be coming to Duncan, S.C., as the town council held a public hearing on the matter Wednesday evening to discuss a change that could effectively ban smoking in all buildings within the city limits except for private residences.

According to GoUpstate.com, five residents attended the meeting and there was a strong sentiment from both councilors and citizens that the ordinance is both unnecessary and would infringe on businesses in the city.

Mayor Lisa Scott drafted the proposal and said she feels it will help create a healthy and safe environment. Specifics about the proposal, including minimum distances that someone could smoke from a building, regulations and enforcement are still to be decided. One councilor suggested the proposal go before the citizens as a ballot issue, though whether or not that happens is uncertain.

Duncan is located in the northwestern corner of the state and has a population of 3,236 people as of the 2012 U.S. Census estimates.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.