SALEM -- Oregon already has a smoking ban inside businesses and now state lawmakers want to ban businesses from allowing people to smoke flavored tobacco out of a pipe called a hookah.

On Wednesday night, Andy VanZant and a friend were doing just that at Nara Hookah Lounge in Gresham.  “It's cool to come here and hang out.  It's a relaxing place.  Nobody's coming down on you, so after work come here and relax, after school come here and relax,” said VanZant.

But in between their hookah hits the pair could not help but think about a piece of proposed legislation floating around the state capitol.  “I think it's kind of garbage.  I think we should be supporting places like this instead of shutting them down,” added VanZant.

That is exactly what State Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson is trying to do.  She is the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 974,  If passed the bill would shutdown hookah lounges, like Nara, statewide.  “It's best now to look at this situation and say, let's not have a proliferation because it's not in the best interest of public health,” said Anderson.

The owner of Nara, however, said it is his customer’s choice to come into the lounge.  “They have the choice and it should be theirs,” added Shady Yasin.  He also says it is a safe place to hang out.  “Take a look around.  We have a lot of college students,” said Yasin.

A public hearing is scheduled for Friday morning in Salem.