State declares 1 year ban on chewable tobacco items
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 22 2024: The state government has declared state-wide ban on manufacture, storage, distribution, and sale of gutkha, pan masala, and other chewable tobacco products for a period of one year.

A notification in this regard was issued by the chief secretary on October 18, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which deem such products injurious to health.

According to the notification, the ban covers products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, including gutkha, pan masala, chaap tobacco, khaini, zarda, and scented or flavoured tobacco, regardless of their packaging or form.

The action followed a Supreme Court directive in 2016, which expressed concern over manufacturers bypassing existing bans by selling pan masala and flavoured tobacco in separate sachets, allowing consumers to mix and consume the harmful combination.

The notification emphasised that the use of these products poses a significant risk to public health, stating they are unsafe and can ultimately damage the well-being of consumers.

The commissioner of food safety, authorised under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has taken this step to ensure compliance with the law and safeguard public health, it stated.

The one-year ban is effective from the date of the notification and applies throughout the entire state, the notification added.

Comment