Bengaluru, Aug 12: In view of food safety and public health, the Karnataka government on Wednesday issued an important order, imposing a one-year ban on pan masala products.
A one-year ban has been imposed on gutka and pan masala products containing tobacco or nicotine across the state, and the Food Safety Commissioner has banned the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of gutka and tobacco or nicotine-containing pan masala products.
In addition, the ban will also apply to tobacco products that are packaged and sold separately to facilitate mixing with pan masala.
This measure will completely ban the manufacture and sale of such products across the state for one year. The authorities are expected to conduct inspections and take action against the concerned parties, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, who violate the order.
The decision has been taken as part of an effort to control the use of tobacco and nicotine products that can lead to serious health problems.
Prohibition and restrictions on sale:
“In exercise of the powers conferred under section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and rule 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sale) Rules, 2011, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department has issued a government notification dated 10-08-2026,” said K. Srinivas, Commissioner, Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department, in a statement.
In the interest of public health, the sale and distribution of tobacco and nicotine containing products in Karnataka has been banned through this notification, he said.
The department has appealed to the public to inform the concerned authorities if they find any manufacture, sale or distribution of banned tobacco and nicotine products and to cooperate in building a healthy and addiction-free Karnataka.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has issued a notification banning the sale and distribution of products containing tobacco and/or nicotine in Karnataka in the interest of public health, officials said on Wednesday.
The notification, issued on August 10, 2026, will remain in force across the state for one year from the date of its implementation, they said.
The Food Safety Division of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, under the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Government of Karnataka, is taking strict action against products containing tobacco and/or nicotine, officials said.
Special inspections and enforcement operations are being conducted under the leadership of food safety officers, they said, and the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutka, paan masala and other prohibited products containing tobacco and/or nicotine are being monitored.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rule 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sale) Rules, 2011, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department has issued a Government Notification dated 10-08-2026,” said Food Safety and Drugs Administration Commissioner K. Srinivas in a statement.
He said that in the interest of public health, the sale and distribution of tobacco and nicotine containing products in Karnataka has been banned through this notification.
The department has appealed to the public to inform the concerned authorities if any manufacturing, sale or distribution of banned tobacco and nicotine products is found to be taking place and to cooperate in building a healthy and addiction-free Karnataka.