Ottawa city council has voted to ban smoking waterpipes in public places, a move hookah lounge owners have said could be "devastating" for their businesses. The ban means smoking shisha from hookah pipes will fall in line with smoking tobacco, which has been prohibited from Ottawa restaurants and patios for 15 years. Ottawa Public Health says smoking hookah waterpipes exposes the public to the risks of second-hand smoke. Mayor Jim Watson said it should come as no surprise to hookah lounger owners that the city was seeking to ban shisha smoking. Ottawa Public Health says smoking shisha has been gaining popularity, and that it normalizes smoking.

Source: CBC News August 31, 2016 16:01 UTC