Carper calls plan to dole out ashtrays 'bizarre'

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper says passing outashtrays as a promotion sends the wrong message.

The county commission refused Wednesday to accept and distributehundreds of plastic pocket ashtrays that the Charleston AreaAlliance wanted to give away.

The commission is supporting the Kanawha-Charleston HealthDepartment's 3-month-old expanded smoking ban.

"When I first heard about this, I thought it was a joke," Carpersaid Wednesday. "I know politicians hand out matches and othertrinkets during an election, but it's not the role I want to play."

The Charleston Area Alliance business group obtained the mini-ashtrays through a grant from the …