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FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) -- Davis County is getting a head start on hookahs.
The county is not currently home to any hookah bars and is taking steps to ensure it stays that way.
The Davis County Board of Health has approved a policy directive stating that hookah smoking in commercial facilities violates the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act.
While the mandate has no effect on what people want to do in their homes, it would ban commercial establishments from featuring the specialty water pipes, said Lewis Garrett, the county's health director.
That's a personal choice, and although I would like to nanny government enough to say these are illegal, we can't do that. But we do have a charge under the Utah code to prevent secondhand smoke exposure.
–Lewis Garrett
"That's a personal choice, and although I would like to nanny government enough to say these are illegal, we can't do that," Garrett said. "But we do have a charge under the Utah code to prevent secondhand smoke exposure."
Hookahs use flavored tobacco and the smoke is cooled and filtered by passing through water. Hookah supporters contend that water vapor, not smoke, is produced.
"I think that's a nonsensical argument, because if it's not lit, where does the smoke come from?" he said. "It's pretty clear you're not filtering all the hazards out."
Garrett said state health officials plan to clarify their rules to say hookahs violate the state act.
"One of the reasons this is so prevalent, is it smells good," Garrett said. "It doesn't smell like tobacco. It smells like incense or something flavorful. And I think there's a misconception that this isn't nearly as harmful as cigarettes because it's filtered through the water and it smells nice."
The policy directive alerts cities to not issue permits for hookah establishments because county health officials consider them illegal for commercial facilities.
Garrett characterized the board's move as pre-emptive -- the county does not want to be in the position later of closing down any hookah bar that opens.
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(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
