A Montgomery County Council bill introduced Tuesday could reduce hours of operation for tobacco and hookah lounges, which can currently operate all night.
If passed, hookah lounges, tobacco and vape shops would have to close at 2 a.m. during the week and 3 a.m. on weekends — aligning with reduced hours for late-night establishments that serve alcohol.
There has been an increase in calls for police between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., which has led to additional police presence in the county’s central business district and an excess in overtime expenditures for county police, according to Council Vice President Kate Stewart.
The bill is sponsored by Stewart, Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Evan Glass. It’s co-sponsored by Council President Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke, Sidney Katz, Natali Fani-González and Marilyn Balcombe.
The Council passed a bill last May after an increase in Silver Spring crime that requires businesses serving alcohol or tobacco to develop late-night safety plans. This legislation was a step in the right direction, but has not eased residents’ concerns about safety, according to Albornoz.
“It is more than appropriate for us to take what I think is very reasonable action to ensure the safety and security of all of our residents,” Albornoz said. “This is something that they have been repeatedly asking for.”
The county would join regional areas in creating regulations for spaces with tobacco or hookah if the legislation passes. In Washington, lounges that provide hookah must close at the same time as other establishments, and in Prince George’s County and Baltimore County hookah lounges must close as early as 8 p.m.
Friedson said this legislation will address concerns voiced by residents at last year’s safety summit in downtown Silver Spring. The bill will ensure people can enjoy themselves at night while also feeling safe, he said.
“This legislation turns those concerns into action,” Friedson said. “It fairly applies the same rules for businesses with liquor licenses to other businesses in the area.”
A public hearing on this bill is scheduled for March 5 at 1:30 p.m.
