Hookah Bars & Public Smoking: How Karnataka Is Prioritising Health With New Bill

Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government has banned hookah bars in the state, the use of tobacco products in public places and the sale of cigarettes to people below the age of 21.

On Wednesday, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed a bill aimed at banning hookah bars across the state. The bill imposes penalties ranging from one to three years of imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 1 lakh for violations.

The bill prohibits the use of tobacco products in public places and restricts the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco items near educational institutions and to individuals under 21 years of age.

Titled the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2024, the legislation modifies the central act of 2003 as it pertains to Karnataka.

According to the bill, it is prohibited for any individual, either personally or on behalf of others, to establish or operate a hookah bar in any location, including eateries, pubs, bars, or restaurants, regardless of their designation.

Furthermore, as per the bill's definition, a hookah bar refers to "an establishment or venue where individuals congregate to smoke tobacco from a communal hookah or narghile, provided for individual use."

Why it is banned?

State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the main intention is to safeguard the health of citizens, especially the youth, and to stem the tide of tobacco-related diseases. Youth today consider the hookah a "fashion statement or fashionable", he said.

"It not only affects those consuming it, but also people around -- passive smokers." The state government has already issued a notification prohibiting hookah bars, against which their owners have gone to the courts, he said.

"Courts also have not given any stay, so if we bring amendments and make a law, there wont we any objections further," the minister said.

Rao noted that hookah bars have been opened at restaurants and bars, he said, "Considering that smoking cigarettes is harmful to health, it is already prohibited in public places. In the case of hookah, tobacco and nicotine are used along with other substances like narcotics, and to prohibit it this amendment has been brought."

What is the punishment?

He mentioned that the bill has introduced penalties for operating hookah bars. Offenders under section 4A will face imprisonment for a duration ranging from one to three years and fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

How The Karnataka Govt Is prioritising health by banning Hookah Bars & Public Smoking?

The new bill underscores a significant step towards prioritizing public health by banning hookah bars and public smoking. By prohibiting the operation of hookah bars, the legislation aims to curb the consumption of tobacco in communal settings, thereby reducing exposure to harmful substances and potential health risks associated with secondhand smoke.

Additionally, the restriction on public smoking not only safeguards non-smokers from involuntary inhalation but also promotes a cleaner and healthier environment for all citizens.