Illegal Sheesha (Hukkah) service in several cafés and restaurants across Shimla was exposed during a coordinated enforcement drive carried out by the State Flying Squad under the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign (TFYC) 3.0. The campaign was launched by the Chief Minister on 13 October 2025, and the latest operation brought together multiple departments to check violations in the capital.
Teams from the Health Department, Health Safety and Regulation, Food and Drug Administration, Excise and Taxation Department, and the Police participated in the inspections. Officials found that some establishments were secretly serving Sheesha by labelling it as flavoured molasses or herbal and no-nicotine varieties. However, many seized packets clearly mentioned tobacco and nicotine, and most did not carry the statutory health warnings required under Section 7 of COTPA, 2003. A case has been registered, and the confiscated material has been submitted to the court for further action.
Health officials highlighted the growing threat posed by Sheesha use, particularly among young people. Dr. Ravinder Kumar, State Programme Officer of the National Tobacco Control Programme, said that scientific findings show a 45-minute Sheesha session can be equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes. He added that Sheesha contains addictive nicotine, produces high carbon monoxide levels, and exposes users to significantly more carcinogenic smoke due to deeper and longer inhalation. One session can also deliver up to 25 times more tar than a single cigarette. Sharing Sheesha pipes further raises the risk of communicable diseases such as TB, Hepatitis, and Herpes.
Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Pradeep Kumar Thakur, IAS, said the crackdown is part of a statewide strategy to curb the increasing use of Sheesha, especially among adolescents and youth. He clarified that so-called herbal, no-tobacco, or no-nicotine variants are misleading and equally harmful, including for those exposed to second-hand smoke. He reaffirmed that all COTPA provisions apply fully to Sheesha, regardless of its labelling or marketing.
Illegal Sheesha service continues to be reported from Kullu district—particularly Kasol and Manali—along with Shimla, Dharamshala, and Solan. Thakur said enforcement will be strengthened through a three-tier Flying Squad system operating at the State, District, and Block levels to ensure continuous monitoring and firm action against all violators.
