The Karnataka government has enacted new legislation aimed at tightening tobacco control measures across the state. The law, notified on May 30 following the President’s assent to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Bill, 2024 on May 23, raises the legal age for buying tobacco products from 18 to 21 years and bans the use of tobacco in public places. Additionally, the law prohibits the operation of hookah bars and significantly increases fines for violations.
Under the new Act, no individual is permitted to use tobacco products—including smoking and spitting tobacco—in any public place. However, designated smoking areas may be allowed in hotels with at least 30 rooms, restaurants with a seating capacity of 30 or more, and airports.
A key provision of the law is the ban on hookah bars. The Act defines a hookah bar as any establishment where people gather to smoke tobacco or similar products from communal hookahs or narghiles. Opening or running such bars, whether on one’s own behalf or for others, is now illegal. Violators face imprisonment from one to three years and fines ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh.
The legislation also restricts the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Sales are prohibited within a 100-meter radius of any educational institution, and tobacco products cannot be sold in loose or single-stick form.
To further strengthen enforcement, fines for smoking in public places and selling tobacco to underage buyers have been increased from ₹200 to ₹1,000 under Sections 21, 24, and 28 of the Act.
This comprehensive tobacco control law underscores Karnataka’s commitment to public health and reducing tobacco-related harms among its population. The government urges all citizens and businesses to comply strictly with the new rules. Further awareness campaigns and enforcement drives are expected in the coming months.
Sources By Agencies
