Need Your Help....

[mushrat]

Ok,
So in my continued quest to stay open, after getting an amendment in the house version of our state no-smoking bill, the Senate is now trying to undo what I did. I am in contact with one of the Senators supporting the bill, who wants to be able to get an amendment in the Senate version. She wants to know if I can find examples of how other cities and states have allowed Hookah bars despite a ban.

If you live in such a place, please let me know where you live and if its a city or a state law. I'll look up the law myself once I knwo where they exist.

Thanks!
Mushy

[Bye bye now have fun]

the bar i work at had to go no smoking. we lost some money because not ever bar had to listen to the rule. i think its because we server food.

[mushrat]

the bar i work at had to go no smoking. we lost some money because not ever bar had to listen to the rule. i think its because we server food.

remind me where you live? And was it a city or state thing?

[Sherwood]

My hookah lounge in Boulder, CO weathered a city ban AND a state ban, in that order. They're going strong.

They're called The Hookah House, and if you'd like to speak to the owner, Bob, he'd be happy to chat about how he kept his business alive.

http://www.hookahhouse.net/contacts.htm

[ebarnes02]

Philadelphia law enacted Jan 8th, 2007 a ban on smoking in almost all workplaces, including in all restaurants and bowling alleys. exempts taverns where food accounts for less than 10% of sales and alcohol accounts for more than 90% of sales.

PA State law was a partial ban passed on June 13th, 2008. The new law exempts taverns and bars where food accounts for less than 20% of sales and alcohol accounts for more than 80% of sales, established private clubs where the officers vote to allow it, and on 25% of gambling floor space at casinos; the bill passed also would not allow for more stringent regulation by county and municipal governments. Only Philadelphia's Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law is exempt from this restriction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoki...s#cite_note-157

[Bye bye now have fun]

the bar i work at had to go no smoking. we lost some money because not ever bar had to listen to the rule. i think its because we server food.

remind me where you live? And was it a city or state thing?

state college PA. i dont know the law but all of a sudden all bars but 1 or 2 were forced to go no smoking. we tried to fight it but the owner didnt get an exemption.

[mushrat]

My hookah lounge in Boulder, CO weathered a city ban AND a state ban, in that order. They're going strong.

They're called The Hookah House, and if you'd like to speak to the owner, Bob, he'd be happy to chat about how he kept his business alive.

http://www.hookahhouse.net/contacts.htm

EXCELLENT! thanks for the info.

[mushrat]

Philadelphia law enacted Jan 8th, 2007 a ban on smoking in almost all workplaces, including in all restaurants and bowling alleys. exempts taverns where food accounts for less than 10% of sales and alcohol accounts for more than 90% of sales.

PA State law was a partial ban passed on June 13th, 2008. The new law exempts taverns and bars where food accounts for less than 20% of sales and alcohol accounts for more than 80% of sales, established private clubs where the officers vote to allow it, and on 25% of gambling floor space at casinos; the bill passed also would not allow for more stringent regulation by county and municipal governments. Only Philadelphia's Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law is exempt from this restriction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoki...s#cite_note-157

cool. Thanks. They dont want to exempt any place that serves food or booze...

are we having fun yet?

[mattarios2]

well there is an indoor smoking ban in Massachusetts, it passed in 04, but there is an "acception" to the indoor smoking for hookah bars. Almost impossible to find a city now a days to accept a new upcoming hookah bars in MA though, even though the state allows it. I think it basically just allows the bars already in place to continue operating.

So the state of MA allows hookah bars despite an indoor smoking ban, it just seems to be the cities that say no.

[MrMoodz]

Arizona has a state smoking ban. I think the only hookah lounges that closed were due to slow business, not the law. Hookah lounges are still on the rise here.

[SimplexCoda]

Im not sure how they did it, But in New Mexico there is a state law that says no smoking in any public building. Hookah Lounges are still open though. So i would see if you could find out about that. I hope it helps you mushy, i would hate to see you have to close up.

[Bye bye now have fun]

Philadelphia law enacted Jan 8th, 2007 a ban on smoking in almost all workplaces, including in all restaurants and bowling alleys. exempts taverns where food accounts for less than 10% of sales and alcohol accounts for more than 90% of sales.

PA State law was a partial ban passed on June 13th, 2008. The new law exempts taverns and bars where food accounts for less than 20% of sales and alcohol accounts for more than 80% of sales, established private clubs where the officers vote to allow it, and on 25% of gambling floor space at casinos; the bill passed also would not allow for more stringent regulation by county and municipal governments. Only Philadelphia's Clean Indoor Air Worker Protection Law is exempt from this restriction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoki...s#cite_note-157

cool. Thanks. They dont want to exempt any place that serves food or booze...

are we having fun yet?

dont server food or drinks? or try and get a exception for already prepaired food and drink

[blastoffbrett]

Here in Ohio they passed an indoor smoking ban in 2007. The exceptions are private clubs and places that tobacco sales are 80% or greater. In Akron they opened a hookah bar after the smoking ban was enabled. He had a lot of issues getting it started with the health department and they pretty much only had issues with the fact that they used quicklight coals. I'm not sure how often he checks his e-mail but you can try to contact him at mirajlounge@gmail.com. His name is Sam.

idk why my type decided to go bold but whatever

[no longer welcome]

anaheim ca is full of hookah bars and it's in a no smoking state.
good luck to you!

[Vladimir]

REVOLUTION!!!

Can you imagine telling Andrew Jackson he can't smoke inside anymore? What has become of us?

[Rani]

I recall Eric saying in some other thread that in California if 60% of your income is from tobacco products you're exempt from the smoking ban. Obviously he's the man with the information although I'm sure you're touched base with him by now.

'Rani

[Zinite]

In Arizona you can't smoke in or within 20 feet of a business. There are a number of hookah bars though. I'll try and find more information.


Edit:

You're exempt if you are considered a tobacco retailer.
http://www.smokefreearizona.org/exemptions.asp
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/n...ingban0501.html
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/47225.php

http://www.azdhs.gov/diro/admin_rules/smoke_free_rules.pdf

[K1024]

welcome to th us. the person who complains loudest gets what they want, and as it turns out smokers are lazy and apathetic.

we should organize a protest...hookahs and signs and chants and whats nots.

also indianapolis is a no smoking city, but there is still a hookah bar here.

[ColibriDon]

Hillsborough County, Florida. I am pretty sure you're not allowed to smoke indoors and yet Edward's Pipe and Tobacco and Meridian both allow people to smoke indoors. Meridian is a hookah bar and Edward's is a tobacco shop.

Hope this helps.

[Vladimir]

I believe in Washington State most bars that HAVE fought the ban, have gotten away with it based on the fact that our wonderful legislature made the smoking ban, but forgot to create a meaningful way to enforce it. At least when it was first passed it took something like a massive investigation by the state health department to cite you for indoor smoking.

[jezter6]

MainStreetCigar@yahoo.com

Bel Air, MD

The guy who owns that is mostly a tobacconist (not a bar) but has hookahs. We're in a non-smoking state and when I emailed him to talk about pipes and cigars, he was MORE than happy to talk, and we even discussed opening a hookah lounge in the area and he seemed to be a guy willing to talk even if it competed with his business.

The guy's name is Tony. I'd suggest a polite email to him.

[sportsfan6216]

Pullman Washington (the state of WA)..... we have munchiez (a hookah bar) its a statewide ban as far as i know the loophole they use is having us pay a $2 lifetime membership. Then we are a member of a "Private Club". Private clubs from what i understand are exempt from the WA ban.

[Scoop]

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/03/lo...-beach-smoking3

[jezter6]

I can't edit my post so here's info on the law here in Maryland:

http://www.cha.state.md.us/oeh/ciaa/ciaa_g....cfm#exclusions

[tinyj316]

In Oregon, in order to be exempted from the smoking ban, you have to be a tobacco retailer, making more than 60% of your sales through tobacco products, and you also have to be in a stand alone building