Pubs in Cornwall may be forced to employ doormen to keep an eye on customers who are smoking outside their premises.
The call comes after the authorities in Looe said the smoking ban had caused a rise in anti-social behaviour with people now drinking alcohol in the streets and causing problems.
We feel that pubs should be controlling their customers effectively, and their licences could depend on this problem being tackled efficientlyChief Inspector John Turner talking to the Cornish Guardian.
Police have warned pubs they could be forced to employ doormen to prevent people taking their drinks outside.
A meeting of Looe Town Council heard that fighting in the streets, and other anti-social behaviour in the early hours of the morning was put down to smokers wandering around the town with drinks in their hands.
Chief Inspector John Turner warned that licences could be revoked unless licensees tackled the problem.
He told the Cornish Guardian: "Looe is a very social place to be and the problems start with people carrying their pints with them from pub to pub when meeting their friends, something that was harder to do before smokers had to go outside.
"This raises the potential for violence and accidents as people stumble through the streets, as well as the potential for underage drinking."
He added: "We feel that pubs should be controlling their customers effectively, and their licences could depend on this problem being tackled efficiently."
Inspector Turner said the police would even try to catch out licensees who let smokers drink outside: "If licensees still fail, the police will do test purchases, getting people to buy a drink and then leave the pub for a smoke with a pint in their hand.
"This would see if pubs are acting properly. If not, they will be forced to employ door staff to implement the ban by changing the conditions of their alcohol licence."