The West Bengal government on Tuesday announced a one-year ban on the manufacture and sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco. The ban will go into effect on November 7, 2021, according to the state government’s order.
According to a notification issued by the West Bengal health department, the decision was made keeping in mind people’s health. It also stated that Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 empowers the commissioner of food safety to impose such a ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, or sale of any food article throughout the state, the Hindustan Times reported.
A notification issued by West Bengal Commissioner of Food Safety Tapan K Rudra said the sale of articles of food in which tobacco and/or nicotine are used as ingredients will be prohibited, as they may be injurious to health.
Tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredients in gutkha and pan masala.
The sale of these items typically generates a significant amount of tax revenue for state governments. However, in the interest of public health, many states across the country have gradually banned gutkha and other nicotine-containing products.
The Mamata Banerjee government decided to ban gutkha, betel spice, and several other tobacco products for the first time in 2019. West Bengal’s state government banned khaini, gutkha, and pan masala for a year in 2013.
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