“Servants of the People” want to legalize hookah bars
24 December 2024 21:59
on December 6, 2024, MPs from the Servant of the People party registered a bill that proposes to legalize the use of hookahs in restaurants and bars. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to draft law No. 12288.
The authors of the bill cite the fact that the ban on the use of hookahs, introduced in 2021, has led to the closure of many establishments and unprofitability for others. As of 2022, there were 2,888 hookah establishments in Ukraine, and most of them were experiencing financial difficulties.
The initiators of the draft law believe that the return of the hookah business will help increase sales, create new jobs, and increase budget revenues. They point to European practice, where hookah bars are regulated but not banned.
The proposed draft law also provides for the resumption of the sale of tobacco products bundled with goods or services related to the use of tobacco products and the permission to sell hookah tobacco by weight.
The draft law must be reviewed by committees and supported by the Parliament to become effective.
