Councillors are building a case for the radical move with a view to putting the policy change to a vote in the new year.

The crackdown could see smokers prohibited from lighting up public areas such as Peel St and parks and gardens.

Long-time anti-drugs campaigner Councillor Warren Woodley is one of the driving forces behind the push.

He said he had followed the experiences of communities in Australia and overseas that had gone smoke-free and was convinced of the benefits.

“This is not being driven by people who just don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke,” he said.

“It’s being driven because of the incidences of lung cancer and other cancers caused by smoking.

“People, in the end, will give up smoking, because there’s no point in being a smoker, because they can’t smoke anywhere.”

Despite a proliferation of health warnings, the New England and North West region still has one of the highest smoking rates in the state. Australian Bureau of Statistics say 20.9 per cent of locals are regular or semi-regular smokers.

NSW Cancer Council community program co-ordinator Shaen Fraser said she was thrilled the council was exploring the move.

“We applaud the council for taking this next step and we would support them in any way that they need,” she said.

“There’s already quite a number of areas, such as playgrounds and playing fields for junior sport, that are smoke-free.”

North Tamworth resident and smoker Gina Byrne said she would likely support the policy on one condition.

“As long as there are designated places where you can smoke, then I would probably support it,” she said.

“I really don’t see why people should be discriminated against just because they’re smokers.”

But Calala’s Patrick Long said the council would face a backlash if it began trying to dictate how people lived their lives.

“Why can’t I make my own decisions?” he said.