Gutka, pan masala banned in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government has put a total ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of products like gutka and pan masala which have a high content of tobacco and nicotine in them.

An order to this effect was issued here by Food Safety Commissioner Nitesh Kumar Jha late on Friday evening.

The decision was taken in view of the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine-based chewing products like gutka and pan masala on human health.

Explaining reasons behind the ban, the order said, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India prohibits use of tobacco and nicotine as an ingredient in any product meant for human consumption but it has been found that gutka, pan masala and several other similar products being sold under different names continue to have a high content of them as components.