West Bengal government has decided to ban hookah bars in Kolkata amid health concerns

HealthNews
By Sharanya Musthyala
Hookah Ban in Kolkata

Kolkata: In a revolutionary move, the West Bengal government has decided to ban hookah bars in Kolkata. The decision was announced by the city mayor on Friday. “We have decided to request the shutdown of hookah bars. It will remain shut across restaurants,” said Firhad Hakim.

He added that the administration received complaints that certain intoxicants are being used so that youngsters get addicted to hookahs. “Chemicals used in such hookahs are extremely bad for health. We will take action against those who are running such bars,” said the mayor.

He added that the decision to ban hookah bars was taken by the government after a report from a committee headed by Dr. Jayanta Kumar Bhattacharya, director of state-run SSKM Hospital in south Kolkata.

The report said that hookah bars can be a major cause of lung cancer and other respiratory problems among young people. “We are concerned about the increasing number of hookah bars in the city. There has been an alarming rise in cases of lung cancer over the past few years,” said Bhattacharya.

He added that there is no regulation on hookahs as it is not considered a food item but an intoxicant, which could be harmful to health.

The report also stated that hookah smokers are more vulnerable to disease than cigarette smokers. “Hookah bars have become a big business in the city and there is no regulation on them at all, which is dangerous,” said Bhattacharya.

The report suggested that the state government should take measures to regulate hookah bars and make sure that they are not run illegally by underage youth.

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