Bhubaneswar: In a major step to protect public health, the Odisha government has enforced a complete ban on manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutkha and any product containing tobacco or nicotine as an ingredient.
The prohibition, issued through a notification by the Health and Family Welfare Department on January 21, is in strict compliance with directives from Supreme Court and guidelines of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ensuring that the state’s measures are aligned with national food safety standards.
The prohibition covers all food products chewable or otherwise whether flavoured, scented, mixed or combined with additives. It is being implemented under Section 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The notification supersedes an earlier order issued by the department on Jan 3, 2013, banning the sale of tobacco products in 2013. The revised order seeks to eliminate the ambiguities present in the previous notifications and to ensure consistent and uniform implementation across the state of Odisha.
The government emphasised that this measure is essential for safeguarding public health and promoting a tobacco-free society. It has appealed to citizens to strictly comply with the ban and actively contribute to building a healthier and tobacco-free Odisha.
Referring to the International Agency for Research on Cancer under the WHO, the notification said smokeless tobacco products, including zarda, khaini, gutka, and processed, scented, or flavoured chewing tobacco, are classified as carcinogenic to humans.These products are highly addictive and can cause serious damage to oral health. They are strongly associated with increased risks of cancers in the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, throat (including the pharynx and larynx), and kidney.
These substances pose a particularly grave risk to children and young people, making the ban a crucial step toward protecting future generations, it added.
