Vicksburg – No smoking in social district

A divided Vicksburg Village Council voted last month to prohibit smoking in the municipality’s newly created social district.

By a 4-3 margin, council members agreed to prohibit smoking in the specially marked areas. The measure means anyone who wishes to light up must do so somewhere outside the boundaries of the social district.

The matter arose in April, when a downtown, second-floor resident asked council members to consider the no-smoking rule. With the ban on smoking in the social district, smokers will have to move to a designated smoking area. In most cases, that spot is at the rear of the business or in a side alleyway.

The social district is marked outside the front of businesses and typically features tables and chairs.