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10/5/2016 Faribault City Council to discuss hookah sampling's future I Archives I southernminn.com — It's not part of any liquor, food or restaurant business As long as those criteria are met, potential customers can light tobacco "for the specific purpose of sampling tobacco products," but the sampling part of the law is so vague that many cities are now using their power to regulate or even ban tobacco sampling locations, according to a report from the Minnesota Department of Health. • What role does hookah play? Hookah is a type of water-cooled pipe that allows a specialized, flavored tobacco to be smoked. Called shisha or maassel, it's a sticky mixture of tobacco, honey or molasses mixed with other flavors, according to the Association of Nonsmokers -Minnesota. Hookah smoking in particular is closely associated with the tobacco sampling law, because it's sometimes smoked in social settings or in groups at locations that cater to that demand. Here's where it gets tricky: Sampling is only allowed at tobacco shops, not "lounges," which are technically not legal in Minnesota. But as long as locations meet the aforementioned conditions, and there aren't more strict city ordinances in place, locations can be open to the smoking - sampling - of tobacco indoors, by groups of people. "If you don't want to smoke hookah, don't go to places where it's smoked," said Faribault resident David Kraigstrom, 28. He doesn't smoke tobacco through a hookah, but said it's not something the city should concern itself with. "There are a lot of other things we should be worrying about," he said. • Why cities? Cities have the power to enforce ordinances, enforce building codes and authorize or deny tobacco licenses - all of which can restrict the establishment of locations that allow tobacco sampling. They can also prohibit tobacco sampling entirely. State law allows cities and counties to create stricter rules to protect individuals from secondhand smoke - but given the fact that most locations are indoors and out of the public arena, cities must choose how they want to interpret state law. http://www.southernm i nn.com /far i bault_dai I y_news/archives/arti cl e_a4dd2d4a-dc49-5f30-92d 1-e0032aa5e32f.htm 1 2/4