Politics & Government

No Hookah Bars for Milford

Milford's Board of Health has issued a regulation that will ban hookah bars, or cigar bars.

Milford won't be the place for a hookah lounge, or a cigar bar either.

The town's Board of Health on Monday voted unanimously to ban smoking bars in the town. This would include cigar or hookah bars, which have become popular in college towns and cities in recent years.

Hookah bars feature flavored tobaccos smoked through hookah pipes and Middle Eastern foods. Patrons can share the waterpipes through multiple hoses.

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According to Paul Mazzuchelli, the town's health agent, state law now requires that enclosed workplaces with one or more employees be smoke-free. The intention is to protect employees from secondhand smoke exposure.

The law does allow an exception for "smoking bars," but with this local ban, which comes in the form of a health regulation, there will be no exception here, Mazzuchelli said.

Find out what's happening in Milfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The town doesn't have any smoking bars, but has had a recent inquiry. A little over two years ago the board banned smoking in private clubs and has received positive feedback from patrons, he said, in an emailed message.


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