With
the one-year ban period on the sale of gutkha and paan masala fast
drawing to a close in two months'time, the authorities are coming under
pressure from tobacco companies and even certain politicians not to
extend the ban.
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Hospital, who spearheaded the campaign that resulted in the ban has said that he has been facing tremendous pressure from various politicians not to re-notify the ban for a second year.
Tata Hospital apart, the commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is also under pressure from tobacco companies which are supported by few politicians, not to support extension of the ban, according to sources from the FDA.
The ban was implemented after the Food Safety and Standards Act was passed, stating that no product should contain any substance injurious to health. Tobacco and nicotine, it specifically mentioned, should not be used as ingredients in any food products.
The FDA has to submit a report to the government by July 19, regarding extension of the ban.
Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Dr Chaturvedi who is associate professor of the Head & Neck Dept of Tata Hospital, said that with the deadline fast approaching, representatives of the tobacco lobby were frequently meeting him and even writing to him not to re-notify the ban. "While they want the ban on both gutkha and paan masala to be lifted, they have said that if not gutkha, at least I should not peruse the banning of paan masala. I don't want to mention names, but a couple of politicians too approached me, asking me why Tata Hospital wanted to intervene in the matter, and to let the State decide."
Recently, the FDA commissioner met with Tata Hospital doctors, the Salaam Bombay Foundation and other anti-tobacco activists to seek their opinion on the extension of the ban.
Dr Chaturvedi said, "Some tobacco companies want paan masala to be excluded, but how can we do that? Our study clearly suggests that paan masala too contains certain supari which causes cancer and other respiratory problems. In fact, we have patients who only chewed paan masala, but are suffering from mouth cancer. We will place such facts before the State Cabinet."
In India, 10 lakh smokers and tobacco chewers die every year. Over 90 per cent cases of oral cancer are caused by tobacco use.
An FDA official, on condition of anonymity, said that in the past year FDA seized around Rs 16 crore worth gutkha and paan masala in the state. "Obviously tobacco companies are unhappy about this and their representatives have been frequenting the FDA office, trying to convince the authorities that paan masala should be deleted from the ban clause," he said.
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Hospital, who spearheaded the campaign that resulted in the ban has said that he has been facing tremendous pressure from various politicians not to re-notify the ban for a second year.
Tata Hospital apart, the commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is also under pressure from tobacco companies which are supported by few politicians, not to support extension of the ban, according to sources from the FDA.
The ban was implemented after the Food Safety and Standards Act was passed, stating that no product should contain any substance injurious to health. Tobacco and nicotine, it specifically mentioned, should not be used as ingredients in any food products.
The FDA has to submit a report to the government by July 19, regarding extension of the ban.
Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Dr Chaturvedi who is associate professor of the Head & Neck Dept of Tata Hospital, said that with the deadline fast approaching, representatives of the tobacco lobby were frequently meeting him and even writing to him not to re-notify the ban. "While they want the ban on both gutkha and paan masala to be lifted, they have said that if not gutkha, at least I should not peruse the banning of paan masala. I don't want to mention names, but a couple of politicians too approached me, asking me why Tata Hospital wanted to intervene in the matter, and to let the State decide."
Recently, the FDA commissioner met with Tata Hospital doctors, the Salaam Bombay Foundation and other anti-tobacco activists to seek their opinion on the extension of the ban.
Dr Chaturvedi said, "Some tobacco companies want paan masala to be excluded, but how can we do that? Our study clearly suggests that paan masala too contains certain supari which causes cancer and other respiratory problems. In fact, we have patients who only chewed paan masala, but are suffering from mouth cancer. We will place such facts before the State Cabinet."
In India, 10 lakh smokers and tobacco chewers die every year. Over 90 per cent cases of oral cancer are caused by tobacco use.
An FDA official, on condition of anonymity, said that in the past year FDA seized around Rs 16 crore worth gutkha and paan masala in the state. "Obviously tobacco companies are unhappy about this and their representatives have been frequenting the FDA office, trying to convince the authorities that paan masala should be deleted from the ban clause," he said.
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