Punjab government extends notification banning tobacco products for another year

Chandigarh, August 7, 2013: The Punjab Government has decided to grant extension in the period of notification for another year to ban the sale, storage, manufacture and distribution of tobacco product ‘Gutkha’ and ‘Pan Masala’ in the state.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had cleared the file thereby approving the proposal of the state Health & Family Welfare department for banning the Gutkha and Pan Masala for one more year in the larger interest of public health. The chewing of gutkha, pan masala and other tobacco products was a potent health hazard and responsible for deadly disease of cancer especially of mouth and throat.  Likewise, any other food products containing Tobacco or Nicotine as ingredients by whatsoever name available in the market had also been banned.

It may be recalled that the Punjab Government had issued notification in this regard on September 5, 2012 and was to end on September 9, 2013.