City Council Meeting October 9, 2023
Item 5.6
On September 11, 2023, the City Council directed
staff to bring back a presentation to further discuss
the possibility of adopting regulations related to
Hookah Lounges within the City of Lathrop.
An establishment holding a valid Tobacco Retail License that exclusively occupies an indoor space and is primarily engaged in the retail sale of hookah tobacco for
consumption by customers on site.
Hookah is a device used to smoke tobacco (called
shisha).
A typical hookah has a head, a metal body, a water bowl, and a flexible hose with a mouthpiece that is used to
inhale the smoke. In most hookah, hot charcoal is placed on top of the tobacco to heat it.
Hookah lounges (that meet the definition of a “retail or wholesale tobacco shop” per CA Labor Code 6404.5) are
exempt from California’s Smoke-free Workplace Law,
allowing smoking indoors legal.
Hookah Lounges are exempt from California’s ban on
flavored tobacco products (Senate Bill 793).
The minimum age of sale for tobacco products in CA is 21 (18 for active duty military personnel) There is no
minimum age requirement to enter a hookah lounge.
Tobacco shops are not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages or food for consumption on premises.
Pros:
◦ Enjoyed in a group setting as a social hub
◦ Economic benefit (jobs and sales tax)
◦ Entertainment options (live music, themed nights,
etc.)
◦ Social and cultural preservation (hookah is deeply
ingrained in various cultural traditions)
Cons:
◦ Charcoal is used to heat the shisha (can increase
health risks: production of carbon monoxide,
heavy metals, and cancer-causing chemicals)
◦ Flavored hookah (apple, peach, strawberry) can
appeal to younger demographic
◦ Second hand smoke
Regulations may include:
◦ Conditional Use Permit or permitted by-right
◦ Limit to specific zoning districts
◦ Limit the number of hookah lounges permitted
◦ Hours or operation restriction
◦ Distance requirements (schools, parks, other
hookah lounge)
San Joaquin County
◦ Permitted in Commercial Zoning Districts
City of Manteca
◦ Conditional Use Permit – Mixed Use and General Commercial Zoning. City of Modesto
◦ Permitted – Commercial and Industrial Zoning Districts. Conditional Use Permit if associated with on-site alcohol consumption.
City of Riverbank
◦ Conditional Use Permit - Neighborhood Commercial with distance requirements – 1,000 ft. from other hookah, 500 ft. from residential, and 600 ft. from schools and parks.
Not permitted in Tracy, Lodi, and Stockton.
Questions and answers