Aldermen in Ecru have scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 3 to discuss a proposal that would ban smoking in nonresidential indoor places in the town.

Ecru is the latest Northeast Mississippi community to consider an ordinance banning smoking. Oxford, Tupelo, Mantachie and other municipalities earlier passed smoking bans.

“I don’t perceive us having any opposition to this,” said Mayor Tom Todd. “This is something we’ve been thinking about ever since other towns started doing it. It’s just the right thing to do.”

Ecru is basing its proposal on the model ordinance created by the American Lung Association.

“We got a copy of Oxford’s, and we’re just going to put Ecru’ where it says Oxford,”’ Todd said. “The only real differences are that we don’t have any bars.”

The proposed ordinance would ban smoking inside most places of business except tobacco stores or private offices.