Motion to Council on Shisha Bars

Great Harwood Councillor, Noordad Aziz, last week submitted a motion to Full Council regarding the regulation of shisha bars and gave an informative speech outlining the problems in other boroughs. Shisha bars are smoking establishments which are required to be 50% open as with any other smoking shelter but several in other boroughs are known to be flouting this rule.

Cllr Aziz moved, "That this Council resolves to write to the Department of Health to urge them to update the necessary legislation and takes steps to stem the growth of Shisha Bars that do not comply with the Smoking Ban of 2007. Current legislation does not act as a deterrent and a number of Shisha Bars frequented by the residents of Hyndburn flout the penalties imposed on them and continue to operate in an illegal manner.
There is a detrimental impact on the health of Hyndburn’s young residents who undertake this activity on nights out and a number of issues around safeguarding which also need to be addressed."

Shisha bars use hookahs to filter tobacco smoke through water and this has led to the common misconception that harmful toxins are filtered out but in actual fact a one-hour smoking session is the equivalent of smoking approximately 200 cigarettes. Concerns are now being raised about the effects on NHS services from the rise in popularity of such smoking bars.

Currently, there are no licensed shisha bars in Hyndburn and none are known to be operating within the area, whilst neighbouring Blackburn with Darwen have 17 establishments and various fines ranging from £200 to over £1,000 have been issued for non-compliance with regulations. Cllr Aziz's motion is a proactive attempt to ensure that Hyndburn does not encounter similar problems.

The motion sparked an interesting debate with Councillors and was passed unanimously.