Punjab bans manufacture of gutkha, pan masala

Punjab government today said it has prohibited the manufacture, storage, sale or distribution of food products containing tobacco or nicotine like gutkha and pan masala in the state for one year.
The ban also applies on processed, flavoured, scented, chewing tobacco, whether they are packaged or unpackaged or sold as one or separate products, an official spokesperson said.
"The decision has been taken in view of the orders of the Supreme Court wherein it observed that to circumvent ban of sale of gutkha, the manufacturers are selling pan masala (without tobacco) with flavored chewing tobacco in separate sachets," he said.