TNI Bureau: The Government of Odisha on Tuesday announced a ban on the sale and manufacture of gutka and paan masala across the state.

Addressing the media, Health minister Damodar Rout said the government would issue required notification under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, in two to three days. “I am happy to announce on the New Year that chief minister Naveen Patnaik has approved the ban on edible tobacco. The step will be good for the health of hundreds of people,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, Odisha joined 18 other states having similar prohibition on tobacco in food products. It is to be noted that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a regulation in 2011 for not to use tobacco and nicotine as ingredients in any food product.

Madhya Pradesh was the first state to implement the FSSAI regulation, 2011, on April 1 last year.

The ban on the sale and manufacture of gutka and paan masala in the state assumes importance as Odisha is a predominantly chewing-tobacco consumption State and chewing tobacco is the single largest cause of cancer.

However, effective implementation of the ban of gutka and paan masala largely depends on awareness among people for their own health and others.