Owner of Aladdin's 'speechless', as N.L. government bans hookah bars

The owner of St. John's only hookah lounge says the government's decision to ban hookah bars is hypocritical and "makes no sense."

"I'm speechless," said Tareq Yousef, co-owner of Aladdin's Hookah Lounge.

"I'm trying to make sense of it and it doesn't add up."

• Take it outside: N.L. e-cigarette, vape shop rule changes coming in 2017

The restrictions on hookahs are part of the newly-introduced Bill 35, which regulates electronic cigarettes, flavoured tobacco and other inhalants.

Health minister John Haggie said Monday that using a hookah is "simply another form of smoking" and poses a public health risk.

Hookah is an instrument used to smoke shisha, which is a blend of flavoured herbs. Yousef said his shisha does not contain tobacco or nicotine.

While he agreed that inhaling anything other than oxygen isn't healthy, Yousef said banning hookah bars is "hypocritical" when government allows the sale of cigarettes, alcohol and other potentially harmful substances.

"There's no problem opening up a club or a bar, or a strip club, But when it comes to a little hookah lounge, that's a big no," he said.

"If they're concerned about health, let's sit down and talk scientific, statistical facts, and see what is the main issue...I don't think hookah would make it to the top of that list. I think it would come way, way below alcohol and cardiovascular diseases."

Ban in effect July 2017

Yousef said Aladdin's has regulated itself since opening in 2014. He said the building is ventilated and refuses to sell to people under 18.

The ban comes into effect on July 1, 2017. Yousef said he's not sure what his business will do in that time, but says that as an immigrant in the province, he does not feel very welcome.

There's no problem opening up a club or a bar, or a strip club, But when it comes to a little hookah lounge, that's a big no.- Tareq Yousef,  Aladdin's Hookah Lounge

"They're making it clear that people like us, people who have degrees and can't work with them, so they can't get employment and they try to create their own employment and they're also getting shut down," he said.

The legislation changes also includes e-cigarettes under the same regulations as tobacco products.

People under 19 will be banned from buying e-cigarettes and retailers will have to promote and display e-cigarettes in the same way as tobacco.

Flavoured tobacco is also banned under the new legislation.

Haggie said the province is bringing its laws in line with other jurisdictions.