Karnataka govt bans hookah across state citing 'public health and safety'

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 8 : Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has announced a statewide ban on the sale and consumption of hookah to protect public health and youth.
Taking to his social media, the Karnataka Health Minister posted on X, "Statewide Ban on Hookah to Protect Public Health and Youth Given the serious health risks associated with hookah smoking, we have taken decisive action by banning hookah smoking across the state."
"In light of this concern, we are implementing a ban on hookah smoking in Karnataka by amending the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). Our government is working to build a safer and healthier environment for our future generations," said the post.
This decisive action is backed by alarming data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2016-17 (GATS-2), which states that 22.8 per cent of adults in Karnataka use tobacco, with 8.8 per cent being smokers.
The report further reveals that 23.9 per cent of adults are exposed to secondhand smoke in public places, demonstrating the pervasive risk of tobacco consumption in the state.