Punjab Bans Manufacturing of gutka, tobacco products

The Punjab Government banned the manufacturing of gutka, pan masala, processed, flavoured or scented chewing tobacco and any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine in the State with immediate effect.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the State Government had already issued a notification on January 1, 2016 banning the storage, sale or distribution of Gutkha, Pan Masala, processed, flavored, scented chewing tobacco and any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients by whatever name these are called as final products available in the market and has been prohibited for one year in entire Punjab.

However, in view of public health, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has now asked the Health department to take immediate steps to ensure complete ban on the manufacturing of these tobacco products in the State, in addition to the January 1 notification.

Badal also directed the health department for strict compliance of these orders and added no laxity on the part of any erring officer in its implementation would be tolerated at any cost.

The State Government said the ban had been issued as the sale is in violation of Section 7 of the COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products, Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act, 2003). Section 7 of COTPA prohibits any trade or commerce in cigarettes or any other tobacco products unless every package of cigarettes or any other tobacco products sold, supplied or distributed carries specified warning including pictorial warning.