The Karnataka government introduced the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Bill, 2024, raising the legal age for purchasing cigarettes. The sale of cigarettes near schools is banned. Unauthorized hookah bars face severe penalties. Smoking and spitting of tobacco in public places is prohibited to promote public health and reduce tobacco-related risks.
The government plans to increase the age limit for buying tobacco items to 21 years and ban hookah bars due to concerns over their addictive nature and uncertainty about their ingredients. The government also plans to expand the ban on tobacco sales from 100 meters around educational institutions to include religious, health services, and government institutions.