What Are They Smoking?

Officials in Kanawha County, West Virginia, have determined that the local smoking ban applies to hookahs, much to the dismay of the man who runs a Middle Eastern restaurant called Sinbad's in South Charleston. The ban defines smoking as "inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or other smoking equipment containing burning tobacco in any manner or in any form." The health department initially was not sure whether the fragrant, fruity mixtures smoked at Sinbad's contained tobacco. If the active ingredient had been hashish or opium, I guess that would have been OK with the health department, although the police might have objected.

[Thanks to Chip Smith for the link.]