The Telangana Assembly has put its foot down by passing a bill to ban hookah parlours.
The Assembly unanimously passed the Bill to amend the 2003 Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act through a voice vote, without any discussion. In Hyderabad, both the Telangana Legislative Assembly and Council unanimously approved a Bill on Monday to prohibit hookah parlours in the State. Presenting the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) (Telangana amendment) Bill, 2024, on behalf of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, State Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu stated that hookah parlour operators were exploiting the popularity of hookah smoking among youth, leading to …