The Nadu assembly passed aBillamending the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) to banhookah barsas part of the State Government‘s efforts to weed out tobacco abuse.
The Bill, tabled by the Health and family welfare department and passed without any objection, has introduced a clause, effecting Prohibition of opening or runninghookahbars. The clause states that sale and service of hookah at any place including an eating house is prohibited. It describes an eating house as a place where food or refreshment of any kind are served.
The Bill also sought addition of a clause empowering Police officer of the rank of sub-inspector and above to seize materials and articles from a hookah bar. It has introduced another clause that violators can be punished with an imprisonment up to three years and fined up to Rs 50,000.