Hookah lounge ordinance

At its regular meeting on March 16, the Tehachapi City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance prohibiting hookah lounges within the city limits. To the surprise of many, two Bakersfield television stations sent television cameras to film the vote.

The ordinance defines a hookah as “a water pipe made of metal or other material, usually decorated and shaped somewhat like a bottle or small tank, with a flexible cord pipe also known as shisha, nargile, hubble bubble, nag, and turkish water pipe.”

Tehachapi assistant City Manager Chris Kirk explained that the hookah is used to smoke flavored and sweetened tobacco.

The practice has been around for centuries and is growing in popularity with the 18 to 24 age group. The council felt that a hookah lounge would be a health and safety issue and counter to the healthy lifestyle image that the city of Tehachapi is trying to project.

Councilman Phil Smith, addressing the television crews, said that he was sorry if they were looking for controversy but the council had just heard a presentation by the Tehachapi TOURISM COMMISSION on their efforts to promote Tehachapi as a healthy, active, family oriented destination and it would be nice if they included that in their reporting as well.

The ordinance was the result of an inquiry by a local resident and applies only to the area within the Tehachapi city limits.