Karnataka Bans Gutkha, Tobacco-Laced Pan Masala For One Year Across State

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 order, issued by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka State, prohibits the products from being handled or sold in any form covered by the notification. The move has been taken citing public health concerns associated with tobacco and nicotine-containing products. According to the notification dated June 15, 2026, the prohibition has been imposed under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The order also invokes Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulation, 2011. The ban covers the entire state and takes effect from the date specified in the notification. The prohibition applies to multiple stages of the supply chain. Besides the sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine, the order covers their manufacture, storage, distribution and transportation. This means businesses and individuals involved in handling the specified products could be affected by the restriction during the one-year period.

The Karnataka food safety authorities cited public health concerns as the basis for the decision. Tobacco-containing products such as gutkha and pan masala have long been the subject of regulatory measures because of their association with serious health risks. By imposing restrictions across the supply chain, the state has sought to prevent the manufacture and movement of products covered by the order rather than limiting the measure only to retail sales. The notification comes within the framework of food safety regulations that allow authorities to impose restrictions on products considered harmful to public health.

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Regulation 2.3.4 of the relevant food safety regulations deals with the prohibition of ingredients such as tobacco and nicotine in food products. The Karnataka order specifically applies the legal provisions to gutkha and pan masala containing these substances. The one-year duration means the restriction will remain in force for the period specified by the state authorities unless it is subsequently modified, extended or withdrawn through another official order. The notification places responsibility on the relevant enforcement authorities to monitor compliance and prevent the manufacture, distribution, transportation, storage and sale of the prohibited products.

The decision is likely to have an impact on retailers, distributors, manufacturers and other businesses involved in the tobacco-containing gutkha and pan masala trade across Karnataka. Consumers will also be affected by the restriction on the availability of these products. The state’s latest order represents another regulatory measure aimed at addressing public health concerns linked to tobacco and nicotine consumption.

With the ban covering the entire supply chain, enforcement will be central to its implementation. Authorities will need to monitor markets and distribution networks to ensure that products covered by the notification are not manufactured, transported, stored or sold during the ban period. The Karnataka government’s action therefore seeks to combine legal restrictions with enforcement measures to curb the availability of gutkha and tobacco- or nicotine-containing pan masala in the state.

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