Virginias a tobacco state, but that doesnt make cigarettes healthy, nor does it mean the commonwealth is a haven for its millions of Marlboro men and Winston women. Just ask smokers forced to take the habit outside at most restaurants and bars not two years ago. 

Councilwoman Del Pepper wants to continue the trend. She urged posting signs in parks and bus stations to remind Alexandrians of smokings downfalls and the citys commitment to healthy citizens Tuesday night. The initiative, should other council members agree, would be part of a non-binding proclamation recognizing the work of the Public Health Advisory Commission.

In essence what its talking about is all the ways that smoking has been proven to be detrimental to our health and how it ties into some of the goals of the city council, Pepper said.

But the idea was hard for some council members to take in.

Im not a smoker, Im not an advocate of smoking, but I know we do have a lot of citizens that do enjoy smoking maybe they want to walk in the park and smoke a cigarette, Councilman Frank Fannon said. Its not an illegal activity. They can choose to smoke if they want to smoke, and I think it might be just a little overkill.

The item is up for further discussion next month.