Troy Clamps Down On Hookah Bars
TROY (WWJ/AP) - The tony suburb of Troy is clamping down on hookah bars, prompting worries from business owners that they'll be shut down.
The City Council this month set rules that establishments featuring the Arabic water pipe filled with flavored tobacco must close at midnight. They also froze the number of licenses at five. Council members voted 7-0 to impose the new rules immediately.
Police Chief Gary Mayer said the city's three hookah bars tally "a very disproportionate share" of police calls. In a recent incident, a 20-year-old man was arrested after firing shots in the parking lot of Mist Hookah and Cigar on Dequindre Road after he and some friends were kicked out of the establishment.
Samad Yousif, who owns the Mist hookah bar, said they're working to curtail problems and should be able to stay open past midnight.
Hookah smoking came to Detroit area with the first waves of Middle Eastern immigrants in the early 1900s. Hookah bars spread from Dearborn to elsewhere around Michigan, with some staying open until 4 a.m.
TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
