Fancy hookahs on display. File
| Photo Credit: KAMAL NARANG
Telangana Government has prohibited the operation of Hookah parlours in the State with immediate effect.
The legislative assembly has unanimously passed “The Cigarettes and other tobacco products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) (Telangana Amendment) Bill 2024” unanimously on Monday. The Bill was tabled by Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu on behalf of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
Piloting the Bill, the Minister said that the Bill follows a decision taken by the State Cabinet at its recent meeting on banning operation of hookah parlours. Youth, including students, were getting attracted towards hookah smoking
Hookah smokinghe said, was harmful to health as it was more dangerous than cigarettes. In addition to toxic substances, hookah smoking exposes youth to carcinogens due to use of coal. Coupled with this was the impact on passive smokers and the health hazards posed by these parlours in public places. The Government was firm on protecting public health and accordingly decided to ban hookah parlours.
