Motion put forward to potentially regulate hookah lounges in Winnipeg

Hookah lounges in Winnipeg may one day face health and safety regulations.

A motion was put forward at Thursday’s city council meeting by Cindy Gilroy, the councillor for the Daniel McIntyre ward.

“This is a concern in my ward, but it’s also a concern in many wards that we are seeing. Hookah Lounges are becoming a very popular thing; we’re seeing a lot of the public using them,” she said.

“We’re finding out with so many of them popping up here in Winnipeg we have no regulations.”

Gilroy said one concern is the levels of carbon monoxide inside hookah establishments as well as buildings next door.

The motion states the province and the city should be reviewing best practices and work together to ensure the health and safety of hookah lounge customers and employees. It also recommends the city consult with the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba about additional ventilation requirements and licencing conditions.

“We’re finding that our fire department is going into these buildings and actually shut them down because they are afraid of carbon monoxide,” said Gilroy. “That’s a silent killer. We could be poisoning people so we have to make sure we have proper ventilation, we have to make sure they are monitored and make sure they are safe for the people who are enjoying hookah experiences.”

Gilroy said she would like a jurisdictional scan done, to see what other areas are doing to better regulate and monitor hookah lounges. A part of that scan would be consulting with business owners in the city.

Gilroy added this motion is not about taking hookah away from the people who enjoy it.

“We know it’s an enjoyable space for everyone, we just want to make sure that they are safe,” she said.

A spokesperson from the city said in a written statement that the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) does not have any records of orders to vacate a hookah lounge in the past year.

“In the case of suspected carbon monoxide exposure in any building, WFPS would respond and take steps to mitigate any risks. Steps could involve evacuating a building, ventilating, and providing medical care for patients,” the spokesperson said.

IT'S NOT TOBACCO: LOUNGE OWNERS

Heba Abdel Hamid, co-owner of Arabesque Hookah Cafe and Restaurant said they take many safety steps for customers.

"First off, it's not tobacco, it's flavoured molasses. So when you are coming in, at least at our establishment, we make it that it's 18-plus so everyone coming in here is an adult and we do have ventilation which one of our permits required when we first opened in 2016."

She said to understand hookah, you need to understand that it is an important part of many cultures, especially women. "This is a practice that goes back centuries and this is a very important part of certain communities, specifically the Southeast Asian, the Middle Eastern community, and the African communities, that is most of our patrons,” she said.

Hamid added it is an important place for many. "This is where we gather, this is our safe space where we can communicate and come talk to one another," she said. "I think these spaces are really important in creating dialogue and safe spaces for our community."

She hopes the city consults with not just the businesses, but with the people who frequent them.

NO LEVEL OF HOOKAH SMOKE IS SAFE: LUNG ASSOCIATION

Neil Johnston, president and CEO of the Lung Association of Manitoba is pleased to see the city contemplate regulations on hookah lounges.

“Indoor smoking, use of cannabis and vaping has been regulated quite strictly for many years and this has been sort of a loophole in the regulation,” Johnston said.

Johnston said hookah is a form of smoking. Shisha, the substance that is burned to inhale the smoke off of can contain tobacco, although it is not supposed to.

“Nicotine and tobacco notwithstanding, it’s still smoking and you’re burning it in an enclosed space in a lounge or a hospitality environment, there’s staff that are being exposed to it for many hours every day, many days,” he said.

Johnson said many health organizations like the World Health Organization, Health Canada, and many health authorities have labelled hookah smoke as a substance that can cause lung disease, including lung cancer.

“We would like to see it removed completely from public spaces,” he said. “There is no safe level, there are many carcinogens associated with hookah smoke, there is no safe level. The level of ventilation you’d have to have to make it ‘safer’ is very expensive and on a cold day it’s just not going to work.” 

The motion was referred to the Community Services committee.