West Bengal Bans Hookah Bars In Kolkata, Claiming ‘Intoxicants’ Mixed In Shisha Causes Addiction

The West Bengal government on Friday banned hookah bars in the capital city of Kolkata citing the effects on public health.
Announcing the decision, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will cancel the licenses of restaurants operating hookah bars in the city, and urged hookah bars operating within closed spaces like restaurants to down shutters.
Hakim appealed to the police to exercise strict imposition of the ban. “I request hookah bars operating within closed spaces to close. I request the police to be strict about it. We will not give new licenses and enlistment certificates and cancel the existing licenses,” he said.
According to Hakim, “certain intoxicants” mixed with hookahs are leading to addiction among youth. Stating that the complaints of the use of “certain intoxicants” were received by the administration, Hakim said that the government is shutting the bars down due to its adverse impact on health.?