Ottawa city committee moves to ban hookah smoking

Ottawa's community and protective services committee agreed with the city's medical officer of health Thursday that the smoking of hookah pipes in public places should be banned, voting for a new bylaw that would see people fined starting next April.

• Ottawa Board of Health votes to tell city to ban hookah smoking in public places 
• This year could be the last for shisha smoking at Ottawa Lebanese Festival
• Toronto's hookah ban begins

Dr. Isra Levy said the bylaw will both close a regulatory gap, bringing hookah smoking in line with tobacco smoking, banned from Ottawa restaurants and patios for 15 years, and prevent exposure to second-hand smoke Levy called "toxic."

Business owners who run hookah café​s pleaded with the committee for regulation rather than an outright ban, or, at the very least, for more time to come up with new business models.

Ottawa Public Health is aware of 15 establishments in Ottawa where customers smoke water pipes.

Councillors on the committee did ask about the available research comparing the health risks of second-hand smoke from herbal shisha and tobacco.

The committee opted for officers to hand out tickets under the proposed new bylaw as of April 3, 2017, instead of Jan. 1, as Ottawa's board of health had recommended. Coun. George Darouze was the only committee member to dissent.

The bylaw still needs the approval of full city council.