Bengaluru: In a significant ruling, the Karnataka High Court has upheld the State Government’s notification banning the sale, consumption, storage, advertisement and promotion of all types of hookah products across the State. Dismissing a batch of petitions challenging the ban on sale of hookah products in Karnataka, the High Court has held that the action of the State Government is in strict consonance with Article 47 of the Constitution of India, apart from being completely tenable in law.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna pointed out that as per the study of the New York Poison Control Centre, hookah smoking can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and chemicals like burning charcoal used in the process can cause heart attack, decreased lung function, respiratory symptoms, cancer and premature death. Additionally, the consumption of hookah in establishments such as hotels, bars and restaurants poses risks to food safety and public health, further justifying the ban.
