No pan masala, gutkha in Delhi: All forms of chewable tobacco banned for a year

The Delhi government has banned the production, storage, distribution and sale of pan masala, gutkha, and all forms of chewable tobacco for one year.

According to a notification issued by the Department of Food Safety, unpackaged products of chewable tobacco are also covered under the scope of the ban.

The notification states: "The manufacture, storage, distribution, or sale of tobacco which is either flavoured, scented or mixed... and whether going by the name or form of gutka, pan, masala, flavoured/scented tobacco, kharra, or otherwise... whether packaged or unpackaged and/or sold as one product, or though packaged as separate products, sold or distributed in such manner so as to easily facilitate mixing by the consumer" is prohibited for a period of one year".

The ban is a bid to curb the practise of chewing tobacco, which has been linked to severe health problems. 

ANI