Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress took a step further is promoting health. The West Bengal government has banned gutkha and pan masala in the state. The Mamata Banerjee government has also issued a notification for the same. According to the notification, making, storing and selling all the things in which nicotine is found will be legally punishable. However, cigarette is not included in the notification.
While this step taken by the West Bengal government has received appreciation, it is not the first state to come up with such law. Earlier, a few more Indian states have passed notification on a state-wide ban on sale or purchase of pan-masala and gutkha. Here’s a list of these states:
1. Bihar: Back in August 2019, Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar rolled out a ban on 12 pan masala brands containing magnesium carbonate. The blanket ban was put on manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of all pan masala brands having magnesium carbonate.
2. Rajasthan: Another state to follow the lead was Rajasthan. On Gandhi Jayanti this year, Government of Rajasthan put a ban on pan-masala and gutka. Under the Food Security Act, any product made of magnesium, carbonate, nicotine and mineral oil were banned in the state.
3. Maharashtra: In July this year, the Maharashtra Government’s Food and Drug Administration reimposed the 2012 ban on manufacture, storage, distribution, transport and sale of tobacco and areca nut. Supari that is flavoured, scented or mixed with additives, were also covered under the ban.
4. Uttarakhand: Another Indian state that is among the list is Uttarakhand. The state government put a ban in October 2019, on tobacco sachets, which are sold along with pan masala packets across the state. The ban will be in effect for a year.
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