Hyderabad, Feb 12 (IANS): The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a Bill banning hookah parlours in the state.

A Bill to amend Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 was passed unanimously with a voice vote without any discussion.

As soon as the House met for the day, Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu, on behalf of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, moved Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Telangana Amendment Bill 2024.

Explaining the aims and objectives of the Bill, he said the government felt an immediate need to ban hookah parlours in view of the harm they are causing to the young generation. The Chief Minister decided to impose a ban on the parlours and Cabinet gave its approval for the same.

He mentioned that youth and college-going students were becoming hookah addicts and the organisers were taking advantage of this situation.

The minister told the House that hookah smoking is more harmful than cigarette smoking. One-hour hookah containing about 200 puffs is 100 times more harmful than cigarettes.

He said since charcoal is used in a hookah, the smoke will have carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens. The smoke is harmful for not just hookah smokers but also passive smokers. The hookah parlours and bars are posing health hazards in public places, he added.