May 31, 2013

Gutka ban comes into effect

Just ahead of World No Tobacco Day (on Friday), the State government issued a formal notification to implement the ban on manufacture, sale, storage, and distribution of gutka and pan masala in the State.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa made an announcement on the floor of the Assembly during the budget session that the government would implement a comprehensive ban on gutka and pan masala.
The notification was issued on May 23 by the Commissioner for Food Safety, the key implementing agency.Following the rules of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the notification says that in the interest of public health, the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of not only pan masala and gutka, but also “any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market.” The notification is valid in all of Tamil Nadu for a period of one year.
Guidelines are being framed for the same.

Gazette notification declares gutkha sale illegal for a year



According to the May 23 notification, manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, has also been prohibited. | EPS

The Health and Food Welfare Department’s order prohibiting the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of gutkha and pan masala for one year has been notified in the gazette.
According to the May 23 notification, manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, has also been prohibited.
The ban is in conformity with the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. As per the regulation, tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food product. The notification said gutkha and pan masala are food products in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredients and it is expedient to prohibit these in Tamil Nadu.
Announcing the decision to ban gutkha and pan masala in the Assembly on May 8, the Chief Minister said that it was being done to prevent cancer caused by the consumption of these items. She also recalled that the previous AIADMK government headed by her had banned the sale of gutkha and pan masala on November 19, 2001 for five years under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. However, the Supreme Court, while hearing the case relating to this ban on August 2, 2004, had cancelled the notification issued by the Tamil Nadu government and some other States. The SC had said the powers to ban such goods lie with the Central.
Later, the Central government enacted the Food Safety and Standards Act in 2006 and the legislation came into force from August 5, 2011 across the country.

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