The Ketchikan, Alaska City Council said no to a proposed smoking ban at their meeting on Thursday, with the argument that businesses should be able to choose whether or not to allow smoking trumping the arguments made for health concerns.

The proposal was raised by Council Member Marty West, who proposed a similar ban in 2004. West said that she had received several requests from members of the community who wanted to see a ban implemented, and while there was not supposed to be a vote on the matter, it was quickly dismissed after discussion with local business owners.

West also suggested the matter be put to voters in the upcoming October election, but that too was voted down by the council, according to KRBD.org.

Ketchikan is the fifth largest city in the state, home to approximately 8,250 residents.

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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.