NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Gov. Phil Bredesen’s proposal to ban smoking in every Tennessee workplace could put some Nashville merchants out of business.

Watch: Smoking Ban Would Cripple Some Businesses

The idea is already running into roadblocks.

Stores like Belle Meade Premium Cigars sell expensive cigars, but could pay a heavier price under a workplace smoking ban.

The store doesn't only sell fine cigars, people come here to smoke them.

Surrounded by the scent of tobacco, the customers said they enjoy relaxing with a smoke.

"People work hard all day … want to smoke, sit back on a couch and just enjoy a cigar,” said Uyen Tran.

Tran and Jeff Watson own the store.

They said it makes no sense to ban smoking there to protect their employees from tobacco smoke.

"I feel like anyone who worked here would be a cigar smoker also. That's part of the qualification, to know the product,” Watson said.

The workplace smoking ban proposed by Bredesen is already being debated by state lawmakers, many of whom own businesses that could be affected, including Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey.

"I own a real estate company myself and have three or four employees. I'm not sure I want the smoking police to come in if a light up a cigar. At the same time, I also know public sentiment is there to ban smoking in public places. I think we have to define what are public places,” said Ramsey.

Some lawmakers said they are already considering carving out exceptions for some businesses.

"We need to start looking at some private clubs, places where folks 18 years old can only go, outside workplaces. That's some things we just have to look at to make this work,” said Rep. Jimmy Naifeh.

The tobacco industry still has some political clout on Capitol Hill, but so does the health care industry.

For the next couple of weeks, state lawmakers will be filing all of their smoking-related bills.

The final compromises won't be worked out for several months, they said.