Gutkha-Panmasala Banned Completely in the State! Government’s Big Decision for Public Health, Know the Effective Date
Gutkha-Panmasala Banned: The Government of West Bengal has taken a significant step towards safeguarding public health. A comprehensive ban has been imposed on the manufacture, storage, sale, and distribution of gutkha and panmasala containing tobacco or nicotine across the state. This prohibition will be in effect for one year. A notification regarding this has been issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety, Health & Family Welfare Department, which will come into force from 7th November 2025.
This decision has been made with the aim of protecting the health of the state’s citizens, especially the youth. Consumption of these products containing tobacco and nicotine poses a risk of several fatal diseases, including cancer, which has a deeply negative impact on public health.
Key Highlights of the Notification
According to the notification issued by the Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal (No. 686/HF/CFS/1M-6/2012 (Pt-III)), any kind of gutkha or panmasala containing tobacco or nicotine, regardless of its brand name in the market, is completely banned. The main points of this prohibition are as follows:
- Banned Products: Gutkha and panmasala containing tobacco and/or nicotine.
- Nature of Ban: Prohibition on manufacture, storage, sale, and distribution.
- Effective Date: 7th November 2025.
- Duration of Ban: For a period of one year from the effective date.
- Jurisdiction: The entire state of West Bengal.
A brief summary of the ban is provided in the table below:
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Join on Telegram| Subject | Details |
|---|---|
| Banned Products | Gutkha & Panmasala with Tobacco & Nicotine |
| Duration of Ban | 1 Year |
| Effective From | 07 November 2025 |
| Issuing Authority | Commissioner of Food Safety, West Bengal |
Legal Framework for the Ban
This prohibition has been issued based on the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, framed thereunder.
- Sections 26 and 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: This act empowers the central authority to regulate the quality of food products.
- Regulation 2.3.4: According to this regulation, the use of tobacco or nicotine as an ingredient in any food product is prohibited as it is injurious to health.
- Section 30 of the Food Safety Act: This section empowers the State’s Commissioner of Food Safety to prohibit the manufacture, storage, distribution, or sale of any food article for up to one year in the interest of public health.
Since gutkha and panmasala are considered ‘articles of food’ in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used, this ban is legally valid. Copies of this directive have been forwarded to various important departments, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the Commissioner of Police, all District Magistrates, and Superintendents of Police, to ensure its strict implementation.
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