Hookah Bars Worry About Possible Smoking Ban

Two local restaurants that partake in the Middle Eastern tradition are upset and worried about Savannah's proposed smoking ban.

It's a ban that's pitting business owners against local leaders, a ban currently being considered by Savannah's City Council.

The smoking ordinance would stop smokers from lighting up in all bars and restaurants. It would also limit where you could smoke outside.

But what if your business was based on smoking?

Hookah is a centuries-old tradition in many Middle Eastern countries. Here in the United States it has become trendy to go and socialize and smoke.

A trend that may come to an end in Savannah if the smoking ban passes.

In Savannah there are a pair of hookah bars.

At the Mirage it's lunch and dinner during the day, hookah late nights.

The owners told me they have only been open about 5 months, and when they applied for a business license, no one told them about a possible ban.

Mirage says get rid of the hookah and you may end their business.

They make about 25% of their money off the 10 p.m. and later smoking.

At Middle Eastern Cuisine on Montgomery Street there are a dozen different flavors of hookah tobacco.

All of those contain only .5% tobacco. That's almost 25% less than a cigarette.

And while there are nearly 1000 ingredients and chemicals in cigarettes, Middle Eastern's owner, points out the hookah tobacco is much more natural, and not as harmful.

He says most folks just come in to try a hookah once or twice, relax and enjoy and don't keep smoking afterwards.

As for business, it wouldn't destroy his business, but he says most of Middle Eastern's hookah customers are tourists.

The ban would affect his bottom line a lot.

If you didn't get to voice your opinion on the ban at Wednesday's meeting, you will have another chance at the quarterly town hall meeting set for Wednesday night, July 28 at 7 p.m. in the Savannah Civic Center ballroom.