A Tacoma business has agreed to shut down its hookah lounge in order to settle a dispute with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, the agency reported Wednesday.
The Health Department went to court in April to seek an injunction against the Venus and Mars lounge, alleging the establishment was violating the state’s anti-smoking laws by allowing people to use hookahs in a public place.
A hookah is a type of water pipe traditionally smoked in India and the Middle East. People generally use them to smoke flavored tobaccos, and smoking the pipes often is a social occasion.
An owner of the lounge told The News Tribune in April that he planned to fight the Health Department, but the agency announced in a news release that the Venus and Mars will “stop the smoking of tobacco products in their lounge.”
“This is an important step for the health of our community, especially for young adults,” said Anthony Chen, health department director.
adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com
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