On 21 February, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed a bill banning the sale and consumption of hookah.
Hookah bars pose fire hazards and violate state fire safety regulations, compromising the safety of food items and putting public health at risk. (Representational pic/Wikimedia Commons)
Karnataka High Court has upheld a government ban on the sale, consumption, storage, advertisement, and promotion of all hookah products within the state. “A session of hookah is more harmful than a pack of cigarettes,” said the court upholding the ban. On 21 February, the Karnataka Assembly passed a Bill banning the sale and consumption of hookah.