Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has imposed a 1-year ban on gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine in the state. This decision has been taken keeping public health in mind. This order was issued from the office of the Food Safety Commissioner on June 15, 2026.
Which products will the ban apply to?
The scope of the government order includes gutkha and pan masala which contain tobacco or nicotine in any form. The ban will not be limited to products sold under these names only. Other such products will also come under its purview whose final product contains tobacco or nicotine.
Has it just been decided to stop the sale?
According to the order issued in Karnataka, the restriction is quite widespread. The manufacturing of related products along with their stock keeping, transportation from one place to another, distribution and sale will also be prohibited. That means almost every stage of the supply chain is covered under the order.
Will packet and pouch products also come under the ambit?
The order also includes products sold in packets, pouches, sachets and other containers. Apart from this, there will also be a ban on such products, which are sold under different names but contain tobacco or nicotine as the final product.
Why ban on mixing products by selling them in different packets?
The order also includes those products which are packaged separately and sold in such a way that the consumer can easily mix them and use them. That is, there is no scope for evading the ban merely by offering the product under a different name or in a different package.
Under which law was the ban imposed?
The Karnataka Food Safety Department has issued this order under the provisions of Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. The order was issued from the office of the Food Safety Commissioner on June 15, 2026.
Why did the Karnataka government take this step?
The state government has cited public health as the main reason behind this decision. Earlier in June, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had also warned of strict action on complaints of intoxicants being mixed in gutkha and pan masala. He had said that if intoxicants are found in such products, strict action can be taken against them in the state.
Now what will happen to the violators?
After this ban of one year comes into force, the Food Safety Department can take action in matters related to the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution or sale of banned products. It will be the responsibility of the concerned authorities for monitoring and investigation in the state to ensure compliance with the order.
Karnataka’s decision reflects the state’s strict policy against chewing products containing tobacco and nicotine. Even before this, bans have been imposed on gutkha and tobacco-containing pan masala in different states, but Karnataka’s new order bans the entire supply chain of these products for one year.
