Ottawa city council voted to ban water pipes in public places Aug. 31 in an effort to discourage smoking.
The new regulations will ban the use of water pipes, also known as hookahs, in public areas where smoking of tobacco is already prohibited, according to a release from the city. It means hookah smokers will no longer be able to light up on outdoor restaurant and bar patios.
The city said the updated regulations are “designed to protect people from secondhand smoke exposure, prevent youth initiation of water pipe smoking and de-normalize smoking behaviour among youth and young adults.”
Starting Dec. 1, by-law officers will issue “courtesy warnings” to people who break the new rules, according to the release. After a four month “transition period,” officers will start charging offenders a minimum fine of $500, as of Apr. 3, 2017.
The changes, which are part of Ottawa Public Health’s anti-smoking program, will impact businesses in the city that offer hookah smoking on patios, including Sinbad Restaurant and Cafe on Bank street.
Ahmed Shendi, the owner of Sinbad, said the ban was unfair and that the restaurant will have to change their business model in order to remain open.
“It doesn’t make sense,“ he said. “The city did not give us time to plan for the change, and now many people will be screwed over out of jobs.”
Shendi said he is currently exploring other options, including turning the place into a private club or even moving the business to a different city.
“Many different types of people smoke hookah, not just people from the Middle East,” Shendi said. “The city is wasting time and money on what is essentially not a problem.”
The province previously introduced a “Smoke-Free Ontario Act” in 2006, prohibiting smoking in enclosed workplaces and public places “in order to protect workers and the public from the hazards of second-hand smoke,” according to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website.
The City of Ottawa website states that exposure to second-hand smoke “can be as dangerous on restaurant patios, the beach or park as it is indoors.”
Third-year Carleton political science student Michael Pak said while he doesn’t agree with all of the changes, he thinks the city is taking a step in the right direction.
“The goal is ultimately to eliminate smoking, and this is a step towards it.” Pak said.
Ahmed Sallam, president of Salam, a Carleton University club aimed at preserving Arabic culture, said the ban is controversial and even “a little hypocritical.”
“In my opinion, bars, drunk driving and alcoholism cause more issues in the community and thus in the world than hookah ever has,” Sallam said. “Considering the fact that marijuana might be legalized soon, it is very debatable that they put [a ban] on hookah.”
Sallam noted that hookah smoking has ties to Middle Eastern culture.
Husnain Ali, a student at the University of Ottawa (U of O), said the ban is “unfair and unnecessary,” especially towards businesses and students.
“If you start taking away part of a culture, you will no longer have a satisfied population.” Ali said. “Shisha is comparable to going out and having a beer or two with a friend. It’s catch-up and kick-back time.”
First-year Carleton criminology student, Hassan Makke, agreed and said he thinks the ban is “ridiculous.”
“Shisha plays a big part in the Arab culture,” Makke said. “Many Arabs and even non-Arabs who just love to smoke shisha will be outraged. Canada is all about accepting people’s cultures but yet they want to ban something that is a big part of the culture in the Arab world.”
