Following the directions of the Supreme Court, the State government on Wednesday banned the sale of flavoured chewing tobacco that is being sold in sachets as an alternative to the now banned gutka.
After the State banned manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of ghutka in May 2013, flavoured chewing tobacco (in the form of ‘zarda’, ‘khaini’, ‘mawa’, ‘masheri’ among others) and pan masala were being sold in separate sachets. Often these sachets are clipped and sold together by the same vendors from the same shop premises so that consumers can mix the two. The apex court in its order dated Sept. 23, directed Principal Secretaries (Health and Family Welfare) of all States to take steps to ban all forms of the product and submit a compliance report by Nov. 9, said Vishal Rao, member of the high powered committee on Tobacco Control. In an order issued by the State Health Department on Wednesday, all deputy commissioners, designated officers and food safety officers have been directed to ensure that the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of tobacco and pan masala in separate sachets or in unpackaged form is prohibited.