A bill to ban hookah bars in the state has been passed by Tamil Nadu assembly.
M.Subramanian, the state’s minister of health, brought the bill to the Assembly on Wednesday, and it was approved without a vote. The bill claimed that a vast number of hookah bars had sprung up around Chennai, posing serious health risks due to the fact that many eateries had permitted the use of hookah in smoking areas or zones while ostensibly delivering a service.
As of now there is no law to regulatge hookah bars in the state. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (Central Act 34 of 2003) was ended to apply properly to the State of Tamil Nadu in the bill filed by Minister M. Subramanian.
The state administration has decided to outlaw hookah bars and to impose a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 rupees for any violations.
This bill allows any police officer the authority to seize any materials or items used as subjects for hookah bar means, but not below the rank of a Sub Inspector to seize any material or article used as a subject for means of Hookah Bar. Hookah bars are common in various states. Tamil Nadu assembly took a brave decision of passing a bill to ban hookah bars in the state.