Telangana Bans Hookah Centres

Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly unanimously passed the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Amendment Bill on Monday. Once the bill becomes a law, a blanket ban will be imposed on hookah parlours in the state. 

During the session of the House, Legislative Affairs Minister Sridhar Babu, on behalf of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, introduced the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Amendment Bill 2024 to ban hookah centres in the state and the bill was passed without discussion.

Minister Sridhar Babu said that the hookah ban will soon come into effect in the state. He said the bill was introduced with an objective to protect the youth as smoking hookah is affecting their health. In hookah, the coal is used which releases a high level of carbon monoxide. It is not only bad for the smokers but also for those around it. It may be recalled here that the state Cabinet had recently given its nod for banning hookah parlours in Telangana.

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