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No Fear No Favour

Don’t serve the Hookah in dining areas: Government directs restaurants.

The government has issued a fresh notification to the hotels/restaurants who serve Hookahs. As per the notification issued on Tuesday by the Health Ministry, hotels/ restaurants which serve hookahs have to cement a separate area, away from the dining zone in which children below 18 would be barred from entering. This new rule came after the government received complaints by people against restaurants/ hotels of service hookahs at dining zone describing it as a non-nicotine object.

Putting a light on the new rule imposed by the government on immediate effect, Economic Advisor of Health Ministry, Arun Kumar Jha said many joints were illegally spreading wings of smoke to service areas, which had to be hammered keeping health conditions in mind. Changes in this matter were made to rule 4, sub-rule 3 of disallowing smoking Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, reports Hindustan Times.

What does the new law say:

As per the statement issued, the in charge of a joint service hookah should display a message at the entrance of the smoking zone that “Tobacco is harmful to your health, even affects the health of non-smokers“. Also, it should mention that below 18 are not allowed to enter the smoking zone. The fresh law that comes into immediate effect also mentions that such provisions should be made that the smoking zone is separated with walls surrounding it and the smoke should directly go outside.

The law allows smoking zone for airports, hotels, restaurants having a seating capacity of more than 30 and should have a particular smoking area.

What are Hookahs?

Modern day hookahs with a pinch of tobacco are served with various flavours at many joints such as apple, mango, pan, cherry, watermelon etc. Traditional hookahs included pure tobacco, smoked with water pipes. It is still used is remote areas of the country.

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