BUFFALO, NY - A "lively debate" took place in Buffalo earlier this week, where passionate smoking and anti-smoking advocates squared off over proposals to regulate the sale and advertisement of tobacco products within the city, The Buffalo News reports.

Anti-smoking advocates want the city's Common Council Legislation Committee to pass one of the nation's toughest rules regarding tobacco sales, but retailers counter that a new law would create an unnecessary layer of restrictions that is better left to federal regulators.

Council Member Demone Smith sponsored a plan that would bar some new businesses form selling tobacco products, including pharmacies, restaurants, establishments that primarily cater to minors, or businesses located within 1,000 feet of schools. Additionally, beginning in 2014, the plan would ban the sale of tobacco products from all drugstores, bars, restaurants, game rooms, or on school or college properties.

The law would require tobacco firms to pay a user fee for every brand or sub-brand of cigarette they distribute in Buffalo, with the revenue ?" which is projected to raise $300,000 a year?"to be used to hire inspectors to enforce the new law. And it would also ban large, outdoor tobacco product ads at stores near schools.

Supporters of the bill said the proliferation of advertising is one reason why children begin smoking.

Those speaking against the new regulations argued that the FDA is already working on new regulations for tobacco retailing, and passing independent laws within Buffalo would ultimately make them less effective.