WB Government prohibits gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine for one year
The West Bengal government has banned gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine with effect from November 7, 2019 for a period of one year. The Health and Family welfare department has issued notification in this regard.
The health department of the West Bengal government in the interest of public health has issued the notification on October 25, this year under which it has prohibited manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco and/or nicotine as ingredients for one year starting from November 7, 2019.
It is to be mentioned that Rajasthan on Gandhi Jayanti this year has banned pan masala containing tobacco, nicotine, magnesium carbonate and mineral oil. Similarly, Bihar has banned manufacture, storage, transportation and sale of 15 brands of pan masala after the National Tobacco Testing Laboratory reported these brands were containing magnesium carbonate. Similarly, the Uttarakhand government has also banned gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine last month.
According to GATS-2 report, 20.1% people use smokeless tobacco in West Bengal including 22.8% male and 17.2% female.
Dr Sourav Datta, Cancer Surgeon from Narayana Super Speciality Hospital, Howrah, said, ” “Excellent step by the Government, however only notification is not enough, we want strict implementation of it”.
