More than 142,000 Oxford residents will be quizzed in the next six months for a consultation about smoking in public places.

The city council wants views from people living in the city about a tobacco ban in pubs, clubs and restaurants.

Despite the short time span -- which averages at more than 23,000 people questioned every month -- final details of the debate have yet to be drawn up.

As well as talking to members of Talk Back panels, made up of groups of city residents, council officers hope to run surveys in newspapers, including the Oxford Mail and debate the issue in the council magazine, Your Oxford.

Although councillors are not pushing for prohibition across Oxford, they want to open the debate across the city.

Consultation officer Natalie Child said: "Smoking will definitely be banned nationally in some public places by 2008 -- but there will be exceptions.

"We want to ask what people in Oxford think so they can have input into the national debate -- including businesses and the tourist industry. Everyone has an opinion and it's an emotional subject."

If there is overwhelming support for a smoking ban, the council will start a second consultation over imposing it.

Many cities have already launched individual campaigns for their areas.

Liverpool has spent £250,000 pushing a Private Members Bill through Parliament, and hopes to enforce a smoking ban through a by-law with £1,000 fines.

A spokesman for Ash, Action on Smoking and Health, welcomed Oxford's plans to involve residents in a smoking ban debate.

He said: "The biggest health risk to young people is starting smoking and a smoking ban significantly reduces uptake. A ban also reduces health inequalities, because it's known to be the single most effective measure to reduce smoking.

"Finally, passive smoking is a significant risk to health, so a ban is important for non-smokers too."

No-one from Forest, the pro-smoking lobby, was available to comment but the organisation has stressed its opposition to mandatory smoking bans.