Marshallites may have to find a new place to light up as the Marshall City Commission will pursue a ordinance that bans smoking in public places.

City commissioners discussed two draft ordinances from Georgetown and El Paso at Thursday's commission meeting at City Hall. According to City Attorney Todd Fitts, El Paso's no smoking ordinance is the strictest in the state, prohibiting smoking in all public places and places of employment. In their ordinance public places include retail stores, restaurants, lawyer's offices, and sports arenas, including bowing alleys.

If commissioners draft a similar ordinance banning smoking in public places, Fitts said, "How do you define a public place?"

Noting the the state of Louisiana, and the cities of Austin, Tyler, and Longview are among those that already have non-smoking ordinances, Commissioner Jack Hester said, "We might as well address this and get it over with."