Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 31: The Karnataka government has enforced stricter tobacco control measures, increasing the fine for public use of tobacco products from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 and raising the legal age for purchase from 18 to 21.

The changes come after President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2024, on May 23. The amendments were published in the Karnataka Gazette on May 30 and have come into immediate effect.

Key changes include a complete ban on hookah bars, which are now prohibited in all public establishments including pubs, bars, restaurants, and cafes. Violators operating hookah bars may face imprisonment of one to three years and fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lac.

Under the amended law, smoking and spitting tobacco in public places is strictly banned. Selling tobacco products to individuals below 21 years of age or within 100 meters of educational institutions is now punishable with a fine of Rs 1,000.

These revisions align Karnataka with other states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, which have implemented similar amendments to strengthen public health protections against tobacco use.