30 Jun

New Fines for DC Establishments Breaking Hookah Regulations

D.C. Department of Health is introducing a strict fine on restaurants and bars that provide hookas to guests. The District allows the use of hookahs in particular venues, but restaurant smoking laws stipulate that hookah may only be provided if the majority of an establishment’s income comes from smoking, not the sale of food and drink. Because hookah is often served as an accompaniment to food and drink, the lines have been blurred for some time. The Department of Health, however, along with an organization called Smokefree D.C. has pushed to find restaurants that are not abiding by the regulations.

Because hookah uses flavored tobacco, should hookah be banned from public spaces completely? Are the current regulations enough to protect those who wish to avoid tobacco smoke?

Read the FULL STORY HERE via InTheCapital.

Stephen Barth
Stephen Barth Stephen Barth, an attorney, professor, and author of Hospitality Law, Intelligent Emotions: On Self Responsibility, Owning Our Emotional Power and Changing Our Reactions, and co-author of Restaurant Law Basics, is well-versed in the world of hospitality law. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Houston, Conrad N. Hilton College, he was an adjunct professor at Texas Tech University. With over twenty years of experience in hospitality operations, including line positions, management, and ownership, Professor Barth is a regular guest speaker covering a variety of issues for national, regional, and local industry associations and businesses. Professor Barth is a member of a select group of instructors worldwide designated by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association to instruct its Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) program. Recently, he has been quoted in many national publications including Hotel News Now, Leisure & Hospitality International, USA Today, Successful Meetings, NBC News, and the Los Angeles Times.