Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao imposed a statewide ban on hookah with immediate effect to safeguard public health and youth citing concerning statistics from WHO Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-17 (GATS-2) on Wednesday. The ban was necessitated as 22.8% of adults in Karnataka were reported as tobacco users including 8.8% smokers and 23.9% people exposed to secondhand smoke in public areas to curb the risk of tobacco consumption.
According to ANI, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced statewide ban on hookah to protect public health and youth. This decisive action is backed by alarming data from the WHO Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-17 (GATS-2), which states that 22.8% of adults in Karnataka use tobacco, with 8.8% being smokers. The report further revealed that 23.9% of adults are exposed to secondhand smoke in public places, demonstrating the pervasive risk of tobacco consumption in the state.
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The government has designated hookah as a 'tobacco product' according to the COTPA Act, while classifying 'nicotine' as 'poison' under the Karnataka Poisons Rules 2015.
In a release, the minister's office said, "The prohibition of hookah use, sale, and service in hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges, cafes, clubs, and other establishments is seen as a crucial step in protecting the youth from substance abuse and the harmful effects of tobacco."