Govt. notifies ban on hookah bars as Governor gives his assent

The State government has issued a gazette notifying the prohibition of hookah bars in the State. The Governor had in June this year granted his assent to a Bill adopted by the State Assembly which amended the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, in its application to Tamil Nadu. As per the legislation, no person shall, either on his own or on behalf of any other person, open or run any hookah bar or serve hookah to the customers in any place, including a eating house. It specified the punishment for running hookah bar, which includes an imprisonment for a term not less than one year but may extend to three years and shall be liable to fine of not be less than ₹20,000 but may extend to ₹50,000.