Karnataka bans manufacture, sale of gutkha and tobacco-laced pan masala for one year 

The Karnataka government has imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine across the state.

The notification was issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety in Bengaluru, citing public health concerns.

The order prohibits gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco and/or nicotine. It also covers products marketed separately that contain tobacco or nicotine in the final product, regardless of their name or whether they are packaged or sold separately.

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The ban also applies to products sold or distributed in a way that can easily allow consumers to mix them.

The notification, dated August 10, 2026, will remain in force across the State for one year from the date of its issuance.

"In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, the Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration has issued a Government Notification dated 10-08-2026," Srinivas K, Commissioner, Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration, said in a statement.

The prohibition will remain in force for one year from the date of the notification.

The order was signed by the Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Bengaluru.

The notification prohibits the sale and distribution of products containing tobacco and nicotine in Karnataka in the interest of public health, he said.

The department has appealed to the public to inform the concerned authorities if they come across the manufacture, sale or distribution of prohibited tobacco and nicotine products and to extend their cooperation in building a healthy and addiction-free Karnataka.