Sale of gutkha and pan masala banned in Punjab

 Chandigarh, August 27, 2012: The Punjab government today banned the sale, storage, manufacture and distribution of tobacco product ‘Gutkha’ and ‘Pan Masala’ in the state from the date of issuance of notification in this regard. 

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the CMO said that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had cleared the file this morning thereby approving the proposal of the state Health and Family Welfare Department for banning the Gutkha and Pan Masala 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 already banned the sale and consumption of Gutkha and Pan Masala in four districts of Ropar, Mohali, Amritsar and Mansa.