States that these products are detrimental to health, causing cardiac arrest, oral cancer, stomach cancer, affect fertility and cause respiratory ailments among other diseases
The Maharashtra government has extended the ban on gutkha, pan masala and related products for the fourth year in a row. The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Maharashtra State, issued a notification on Monday extending the ban for a period of one year effective from July 20, 2015.
The government has also included sale, purchase and storage of manufactured chewable tobacco in the ban.
“In the interest of public health, manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of tobacco and areca nut (betel nut) which is either flavoured, scented or mixed with any of the said additives and whether going by the name or form of gutkha, pan masala, flavoured scented tobacco, flavoured/scented supari, manufactured chewing tobacco with additives, kharra, mawa has been prohibited for a period of one year from July 20, 2015,” said Dr Harshadeep Kamble, Food Safety Commissioner, in the notification.
The ban notification states that gutkha, pan masala, supari, tobacco products etc are detrimental to health causing cardiac arrest, oral cancer, stomach cancer, affect fertility and cause respiratory ailments among other diseases.
Gutkha was first banned in the state in 2012 under the Food Standards and Safety Act, 2006. In the following year, the state expanded the embargo and banned khaini (flavoured tobacco), supari (processed betel nut) and mawa or kharra (a mix of processed tobacco, betel nut and lime).
In 2004, the World Health Organization had classified areca or betel nut as carcinogenic to humans even without the addition of tobacco to it.