Karnataka government has notified a legislation which now prohibits hookah bars, and has raised the legal age for buying tobacco products to 21 years. It has also increased the fines for the violation of these laws.
Earlier, the legal age to buy tobacco products in the state was 18 years.
The new law prohibits the sale of cigarettes or other tobacco products to a person below the age of twenty one years, and has also increased the fines for smoking in a public place and for sale of tobacco to people aged 21 and below, from ₹200 to ₹1,000.
The notification was issued on May 30, following the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2024, receiving the assent of the President on May 23.
No tobacco in public places
The Act that prohibits the use of tobacco products in public places says, no person shall use tobacco products in any public place. As per the Act, the “use” of tobacco means smoking and spitting of tobacco.
However, in a hotel having thirty rooms or a restaurant having seating capacity of thirty persons or more and in airports, a separate provision for smoking area or space may be made, it added.
Hookah bars prohibited
The section 4A of the Act, prohibits opening or running of hookah bars.
“No person shall either on his own or on behalf of any other person shall open or run any hookah bar, in any place including the eating house or pub or bar or restaurant by whatever name it is called,” it said.
According to the Act, “hookah” bar means an establishment or place where people gather to smoke tobacco or other similar products from a communal hookah or narghile, which is provided individually.
Regarding punishment for running hookah bar, the Act says, whoever contravenes the provisions of section 4A, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but may extend to three years and with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but may extend up to one lakh rupees.
“No person shall sell, offer for sale or permit the sale of cigarettes or any other tobacco products to any person who is under the age of twenty one years. It cannot be sold in an area within a radius of one hundred meters of any educational institution; and it cannot be sold in loose or in single sticks,” the Act added.