According to the presented data, the average price of a hookah smoking in establishments today ranges from 1,400 to 1,800 soms. About 40 percent of this amount goes to operating costs, excluding rent expenses.

At present, hookah smoking in public places is officially prohibited, but the business continues to operate widely in the informal sector. In Bishkek alone, at least 33 specialized hookah lounges can be found via search engines, not including bars, nightclubs, and cafés.

Initiators of the bill say that existing bans and fines have proven largely ineffective:

Over nine months of 2024, total fines for such violations amounted to about 5.8 million soms.

From November 2024 to November 2025, at least 55 protocols were drawn up (48 of them against legal entities, totaling 2.4 million soms).

«Business owners voluntarily and without court proceedings pay more than 96 percent of fines, simply incorporating these costs into their operating expenses. This shows that punishment does not have a deterrent effect. As a result, the budget loses revenue, responsible businesses go underground, and corruption risks increase among inspection bodies,» the Ministry of Economy and Commerce noted.

The new draft law proposes abandoning ineffective outright bans, following examples such as the UAE and Germany. If adopted, hookah smoking would be allowed only in specialized establishments that obtain a license, install powerful ventilation systems, meet strict sanitary and fire safety requirements, and are included in a unified public state registry.