Implement ban on gutkha, pan masala: Food safety authority

Nagpur: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has issued a directive to the commissioners of food safety/officers in-charge of food safety of all states and Union Territories for effective implementation of the ban on manufacture, sale and distribution of gutkha and pan masala (with tobacco and nicotine as ingredient).

The Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sales) Regulations, 2.3.4, prohibits the use of tobacco and nicotine as ingredients in any food products and bans sale of all food products where tobacco is present as ingredient such as gutkha and pan masala with tobacco and nicotine.

The Supreme Court had on 23rd October 2016, in Central Areca-Nut Marketing Corporation and Others vs Union of India case of 2010, had directed the statutory authorities of all states and UTs for total compliance of the ban imposed by FSSAI regulations on the manufacturing and sale of gutkha and pan masala with tobacco and or nicotine.

Anti-tobacco activist working at Tata Memorial Hospital Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi told TOI that the FSSAI's recent order of October 9, laying emphasis on compliance with the ban on gutkha and pan masala (with tobacco and nicotine), imposed by FSSAI regulation and supported by the Supreme Court order is welcome move from the FSSAI, as it was seen in the past that only state governments and UTs were issuing necessary orders for banning manufacturing and sale of gutkha and pan masala with tobacco and or nicotine.

Dr Chaturvedi said the result of Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2016-17 (involving those 15 years and above) reveals that 29.6% of men, 12.8% of women and 21.4% of all adults currently use smokeless tobacco. The ban on certain forms of smokeless tobacco products the number of tobacco users has reduced by about 81 lakh.

Tobacco use is the foremost preventable cause of death and disease globally as well as in India. The consequent burden of mortality and morbidity due to consumption of smokeless tobacco is very high in India. Tobacco causes almost 12 lakh deaths a year in India. Available evidence suggests that India shares the maximum burden of oral cancer in the World.