Cincinnati council votes to limit hours for smoking lounges across the city

CINCINNATI —

Cincinnati City Council members voted unanimously to restrict the hours smoke lounges can be open, aiming to stop violence, drug activity, and late-night crowds.

Councilman Mark Jeffreys said this was a common sense solution, noting there have been 10 nuisance claims filed against smoke lounges in the last two years, many of them in Roselawn. Advertisement

Hookah lounges will now close at 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends. Council members say the changes will address neighbors' concerns over safety while also allowing businesses to stay open.

"Residents are sharing that their life is unlivable with these things," Jeffreys said. "People who live across call our office with noise complaints, complaints of trash and violence police are concerns with added calls. So