‘Hookah joints are fire hazards’

Post the tragedy at Kamala Mills Compound, cancer specialists have appealed to citizens to consciously avoid going to places which illegally serve hookah. Citing threats of cancer due to smoking and also imminent fire threat like at 1Above restaurant, oncologists say that less demand of hookah can curb all the possible threats in future.

In Maharashtra, consumption of tobacco of any form in public forums in prohibited. Despite this, many hookah bars in the registration name of eateries sell hookah to customers which violates Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

On Thursday night, fourteen people died after a fire broke out apparently from a spark of a hookah served at 1Above.

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, senior oncologist and head of the department of head and neck department of Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) has trashed the government in his open letter for their failure to curb the illegal hookah culture in the city that is turning into a cause of cancer among youths.

As per the oncologist who has the spearhead in the anti-tobacco campaign with the Indian government stated that hookah is more harmful than cigarette.

In his letter, he has requested youth to avoid hookah parlours since they are fire hazards also.

In the last week of July of this year, the state health department held a meeting to introduce a new provision in the Bombay Shops and Establishment Act that would prohibit any registered shop under the act from selling hookah. The recommendation was sent to the state government for final nod but it is still lying in pipeline.