Karnataka passes bill to ban hookah bars, sale of cigarettes to buyers below 21 years of age
The Karnataka government has amended the previous COTP act and said that the amendment is to protect the health of citizens from lung-related diseases.
On Wednesday, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed a bill banning the sale and consumption of hookah across the state. The sale of cigarettes to people under 21 is also prohibited in the state.
The Karnataka government has amended the previous Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and said that the amendment is to protect the health of citizens from lung-related diseases.
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People who sell Hookah or run Hookah parlours will be fined up to Rs. 1 lakh and three years of imprisonment if found guilty. The Siddaramaiah government has also banned the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within a radius of 100 meters from schools and colleges.
On February 7, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced a blanket ban on Hookah across the state in a bid to tackle tobacco-related diseases. The bill was tabled in the current legislative assembly sessions, and it is successfully passed.
The department earlier stated that the WHO Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2019) has found nearly one-fifth of students aged between 13 and 15 have consumed tobacco in some form.
"Tobacco-based shisha and "herbal" shisha emit smoke laden with toxic agents, heightening the risk of cancers, heart disease, and lung disease," a statement from the Karnataka health department said.
“The economic burden of tobacco is equally concerning, with Karnataka incurring a cost of ₹983 crores in 2011 due to tobacco-related illnesses among individuals aged 35-69,” It added further.