Smoking ban threatens Vancouver's hookah tea houses

A proposed smoking bylaw banning all forms of indoor smoking in Vancouver is threatening to close down several local hookah tea houses.

Hookahs are large communal water pipes designed to burn fragrant blends of tobacco.

Common across the Arab world, as well as India and Pakistan, hookahs are also known as shisha pipes and can also be used for herbal drinks and served with tea, in traditional Persian fashion.

Heated political debate is usually served on the side.

"The Canadian, American, European, they have the coffee shops," said Iranian immigrant Hamid Mohammadian.

"But our country: one block, four shisha bars. And everybody sits and meet together and make business and talking, the background, family, everything."

Mohammadian, 60, owns the Persian Tea House on Davie Street, one of three hookah shops in Vancouver threatened by the city's smoking ban.

For the 65,000 Iranians living in Vancouver, hookah shops play an important cultural role, he said, because they're a place for Muslims to socialize freely since they don't usually frequent bars because of the presence of alcohol.

The hookah bar is also a place to gather and discuss Iranian politics and other issues that they would be persecuted for talking about in Iran, Mohammadian said.

If Vancouver's anti-smoking law passes, the shops will have to close.

Mohammadian and his lawyer hope to persuade city councillors his business should be allowed to remain open when council meets on Thursday.

He said in other Canadian cities, including Toronto and Calgary, similar smoking bylaws have been put into place but have allowed hookah shops to provide non-tobacco alternatives (such as water and herbal smoking materials).

Vancouver's proposed bylaw will make no distinction; it outright bans all smoking indoors.

The city's stance is that second hand smoke, no matter what's in it, is dangerous.