KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Kansas City, Kan., officials are taking up the thorny issue of whether to impose a smoking ban.

Thursday night, Wyandotte County's Unified Board of Commissioners hold a work session to discuss various proposals.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 27 percent of the county's 155,000 residents smoke, the largest percentage among the state's four biggest counties.

Smokers and others had varying opinions about smoking bans.

"I come here because it's one of the only places in Kansas City that you can get Free State on tap, but the smoking helps, and that's why I hang out here," said Tom Ruble, a patron of The Jaywalkers, a bar at 39th and Rainbow Boulevard.

The bar is near where Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo., meet. Smoking is banned in Kansas City, Mo., bars. Ruble said he didn't think smoking should be banned in Kansas City, Kan.

"Government should not get involved in private enterprise," he said.

Others, such as Brenda Fee, said smoking should be banned in public places.

"I feel there should be, because I'm absolutely allergic to smoke," Fee said.

Still others, such as Josh Taylor and Christie Rozell said smoking shouldn't be banned in bars. Rozell favored a ban in other public places where children are allowed.