Charleston County smoking ban making progress (Update: Banned)

(Updates at the bottom.)

At its first reading before Charleston County Council, a ban on indoor smoking pased 8-1 on Tuesday night.

Councilman Elliott Summey was the only member to vote against it, writing on Twitter at the time, "County council about to pass a smoking ban. Wow. #biggovernment".

The ban will still need to be approved on a second and third reading to go into effect, and would do so on October 1 and only apply to the unincorporated areas of the county. 

North Charleston has previously shot down a proposed smoking ban, shooting down a proposed one in 2008.

Update August 22: The proposed smoking ban has passed a second reading and still appears that it will pass a third reading to become law to ban smoking.

Meanwhile North Charleston City Council members have been discussing a ban.

Update September 5: On Tuesday evening, Charleston County Council voted 7-1 to ban smoking in unincorporated areas of the county.

Elliott Summey was the only member to vote against it. The ban goes into effect on October 4.

Many reports abound, but I'll point you to Live 5 News'.

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Area smoking bans