Karnataka has banned the sale and consumption of hookah products in view of public health and safety. The sale, purchase, publicity, marketing and consumption of all hookah products and sheesha have been banned with immediate effect, said the government order.
Those found violating the ban will be charged under COTPA (Cigarette and Tobacco Products Act ) 2003, Child Care and Protection Act 2015, Food Safety and Quality Act 2006, Karnataka Poisons (Possession and Sale) Rules 2015, Fire Control and Fire Protection Act, and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The government considered including fire safety laws in their move in view of a fire that broke out at a hookah bar in Bengaluru last year. The hookah bar was found to have violated fire safety regulations.
The government order also highlighted studies that suggest how 45 minutes of smoking hookah is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes.
Hookah is already banned in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab.
Featured Video Of The Day
PM Modi Inspects Guard Of Honour At Red Fort On 78th Independence Day
Karnataka High Court Upholds Ban On All Types Of Hookah Products Haryana Passes Bill To Ban Opening, Running Hookah Bars Haryana Bans Hookah In Pubs, Restaurants And Hotels Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing "Freedom Fighters Would Not Have Dreamt...": AAP's Atishi On Arvind Kejriwal 5 Big Highlights Of PM Modi's Independence Day Speech In Touch With India Over Bangladesh Political Crisis: US State Department Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.