Karnataka has banned the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine and other tobacco and nicotine products, across the state for a period of one year.
The notification issued on June 15 cited public health concerns as the reason for the ban.
The order also covers other products marketed separately that contain tobacco or nicotine in the final product regardless of their name.
The ban will apply whether it is packaged or unpackaged and whether it is sold as one product or packaged separately in a manner that facilitates mixing by consumers.
The ban is applicable to the entire state of Karnataka for a period of one year with effect from the date of the notification, the order reason.
The notification also prohibits products that are packaged as separate products but sold in a manner where they can be mixed by the consumer
The notification issued by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka State, said the ban has been imposed under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, read with Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulation, 2011.
