Will Karnataka's Bold Move to Ban Hookah Bars be Effective?

Rithu Dravid | NT

Bengaluru: In recent times the allure of Hookah bars has captured the attention of thousands of young individuals, who find themselves drawn to this form of smoking addiction.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has proposed stringent measures to curb the rampant spread of Hookah bars, not only in Bengaluru but throughout the state.

“As Hookah is nothing but tobacco, it should not be consumed in public places. People are free to use it at their homes ", the Minister told News Trail.

Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco that comes in different flavors, such as apple, mint, cherry, chocolate, coconut, pan, cappuccino, and watermelon.

Although many users think it is less harmful, hookah smoking has many of the same health risks as cigarette smoking. Hookah, also called shisha, hubble-bubble, and goza, is a perilous habit among the youngsters in the city.

Many students who frequent these establishments eventually succumb to addiction, not only to Hookah but also to other banned substances.

Revenue Concerns

Owners of hookah bars while contacted by News Trail spoke about the impact of the ban on hookah bars and their revenue loss which would be over lakhs each month.

They said the loss of revenue will include the loss in food, beverages and alcohol too. A ‘shisha lounge’ near Queen's road has regular hookah smokers who visit the place twice or thrice a week and find pleasure in doing that.

The owner said, “We will abide by the ban although we have smokers usually above the age of 30. The rise in age to 25 for shisha smoking is a good move”.

Youth Talk

Many youngsters feel it is a chilling activity as it is typically done in groups. Some of them like Pradeep living in the city feel it is a hasty decision by the government.

He says, “Using other ways of stopping young people from addiction such as awareness drives, strict enforcement on the ban of sales of loose cigarettes would help”.

In the past, despite periodic police raids, Hookah bars have continued to thrive, often with minimal repercussions.

Young college students, who are among the most frequent patrons, have typically escaped with mere warnings due to the limitations of existing laws.

Hookah More Injurious Than Smoking

“Hookah is more injurious and smoking is more addictive and carcinogenic. Hookah smoking produces more smoke through steam and blocks and burns the airway mucosa to the lungs causing damage. This may cause pneumonia, airway injuries, burn injury etc.”, says Dr Shivaraj Kumar K V, Pulmonologist, Manipal Hospital, Millers Road, Bengaluru.

Psychiatrists in the city add by saying, “Youngsters are prone to getting addicted once they start smoking especially during teenage. They face tremendous peer pressure and struggle to get out of it”.

Additionally, the doctors say there is a need for comprehensive awareness campaigns to educate the youth about the dangers of Hookah smoking and substance abuse.

Such efforts should be coupled with accessible counselling and support services to help those who are already struggling with addiction.

Overall, using a hookah to smoke tobacco poses serious health risks to smokers and others exposed to the smoke from the hookah. The secondary or passive smokers could also be prone to health problems.