In the past few years, hookah lounges have been popping up throughout the U.S. The lounges have become a popular destination in college towns for their late hours and laid-back atmosphere.

Six Lounge Hookah & Smoke Shop assistant manager Brandon Habba, whose shop opened last year, said it has been consistently busy and full of students.

Particularly when school is in session, Habba said the shop’s doors are packed with both newcomers and regulars, particularly after 10 p.m. during the week and after 8 p.m. on weekends.

“We have a bunch of college students that come in and smoke just because,” he said. “It’s kind of like the popular trend.”

In February, the East Lansing City Council passed an ordinance banning additional hookah lounges from opening up in the area. Existing hookah bars were not impacted by the ban.

The council’s decision was based on the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke Free Air Law, a law passed in 2009 that made it illegal to smoke in public places.

East Lansing City Attorney Tom Yeadon said he was surprised the hookah bars that exist in the city were allowed to open in the first place.

“The intention of the law was not to create (more) specialty shops, but to allow these places to stay in existence until they just faded away and just not start up again,” Yeadon said.

Premedical sophomore Mikey Roach said he has enjoyed the hookah experience in East Lansing with friends and believes the ban on future hookah businesses was uncalled for.

“It’s not like hookah is illegal — it’s just tobacco,” he said.

However, some students who have tried hookah said they have fallen off of the fad.

Human resources management junior Ankita Arora said she used to smoke hookah regularly with members of her sorority, but decided to give up the pastime after her grandfather passed away of lung cancer.

“As a kid, I said I would never get into (smoking). I never was too familiar with the effects hookah has on your body,” Arora said.