City of Sugar Land could be cracking down on hookah lounges, smoke shops
SUGAR LAND, Texas - The City of Sugar Land may be restricting smoke shops and hookah lounges in the near future. The city council is considering new rules to limit tobacco, hookah, and vaping businesses in the area.
"Well, it’s public health," said Mayor Joe Zimmerman of Sugar Land.
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Sugar Land’s City Council is reviewing its smoking ordinances and zoning to determine where smoke shops and tobacco businesses can operate in the city.
"So council was unanimously, when we did the workshop, that they thought more restrictions on hookah bars was appropriate," said Zimmerman.
Zoning regulations in Sugar Land have different land use policies in each area.
"So both of those kind of work hand in hand between where they can be physically located, and where or where not, you can smoke indoors," said Lisa Kocich-Meyer, the Director of Planning and Development Services for the City of Sugar Land.
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A city council member brought up the city’s general business zoning districts saying that hookah bars are currently allowed in the city’s districts-along with tobacco and vaping retailers.
One Sugar Land resident said he isn’t a fan of some smoke shop locations.
"The big problem that I had with it was that it was located next to a GameStop, which I frequented, and because they shared a ventilation system, the smell started leaking through. And so it definitely made me not want to go there," said Brandon Burgos.
He said if there are smoke shops they need to be strategically located in the city.
"So if they do have shops, which I'm not opposed to the idea of it, they definitely need to be isolated in buildings," said Burgos.
A nicotine dependence researcher from UTHealth Houston said the restrictions could be a step in the right direction.
"Obviously, whatever we can do to minimize the likelihood that individuals will be exposed, or start smoking any of those products, in terms of public policy, the better," said Dr. Jin Ho Yoon, an associate professor for UTHealth Houston.
"We want to do what’s right for our citizens, and we believe our citizens would want us to be more restrictive," said Zimmerman.