Toronto's hookah ban begins

As of today, smoking hookahs is now banned inside Toronto cafes and bars.

City council voted to ban the popular water pipes last November, months after a Toronto Public Health report argued the practice poses health risks.

• 'Smoking is smoking' councillor says as Toronto bans hookahs

Toronto's medical officer of health, David McKeown, suggested hookah smoking is especially dangerous for young people who may think it's a relatively safer form of smoking than cigarettes.

It's unclear whether or not the dozens of hookah bars, including a cluster on Yonge Street downtown, will comply with the new ban. Nor is it clear how the city plans to enforce its new regulations.

Hookah lounge owners have argued the ban is discriminatory to those in the Middle Eastern and North African communities, for whom smoking is a common cultural practice.

While council approved the ban 34-3, some councillors said they want a hookah lounge permit, which would allow some cafes that don't sell alcohol to sell non-tobacco products to people over 19.