GUWAHATI: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed a bill recently that states that the sale of cigarettes to individuals below the age of 21 is now prohibited within the state.
According to media reports, the bill also outlaws the sale and consumption of hookah throughout the state
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Authorities have also taken a stand by sending recovered liquid flavors and hookahs to a laboratory for comprehensive testing.
The Karnataka government, through an amendment to the existing Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), stated that this change reportedly aims to safeguard citizens' health, particularly against lung-related diseases.
Those found guilty of selling hookahs or operating hookah parlors could face fines of up to ₹1 lakh and imprisonment for three years.
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Furthermore, the Karnataka government led by Siddaramaiah has extended its efforts by banning the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within a 100-meter radius of schools and colleges.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, on February 7, also announced a statewide ban on hookahs as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat tobacco-related diseases.
The bill was successfully passed during the current legislative assembly sessions, media reports stated.
Citing findings reportedly from the WHO Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2019), revealed that nearly one-fifth of students aged between 13 and 15 have consumed tobacco in some form, as per reports.
The Health Department emphasised the health risks associated with tobacco-based and "herbal" shisha stressing that these products emit smoke laden with toxic agents, heightening the risks of cancers, heart disease, and lung diseases.
The Health Department further underscored the significant economic burden of tobacco-related illnesses, revealing that Karnataka incurred a cost of ₹983 crore in 2011 due to such health issues among individuals aged 35-69, as per reports.