The city of Southaven, Miss. was formally petitioned on Tuesday to enact a smoking ban, and the Board of Aldermen have agreed to have Mayor Darren Musselwhite, City Administrator Chris Wilson and City Attorney Nick Manley take a look at other nonsmoking laws and draft an ordinance to be considered at May’s monthly meeting.
Members of Tobacco Free Mississippi Coalition asked city officials to create and pass an ordinance that would make the city smoke-free. Southaven does not have any laws in place governing restaurants or other public places.
Musselwhite told The Commercial Appeal that “the number one most expressed concern to me is the fact that our city has not adopted an ordinance to ban smoking in restaurants and other buildings.”
With the directive towards city officials to begin work on an ordinance, the Board of Aldermen should have a proposal presented to them at next month’s meeting.
Southaven is the third largest city in Mississippi, with a population of just over 50,000. Located in the northwest corner of the state, it is considered a suburb of Memphis, Tenn. since it is located just 15 miles south.