Karnataka bans sale of gutkha, pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine for 1 year
Karnataka imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, transport, and sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine.
On Wednesday, Karnataka banned the sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine for a one-year period. The Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka State, issued a notification dated June 15, 2026, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This ban applies to manufactured, stored, distributed, transported, and sold gutkha and pan masala across the state.
The order was issued to address public health concerns. The ban also covers any other products marketed separately that contain tobacco or nicotine, regardless of their packaging or name. Under the new rules, pan masala can only be sold in eco-friendly packaging or traditional rigid containers.
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