Government of Tamil Nadu banned Pan Masala, Gutka in the State

The Tamil Nadu Government in the month of May 2013 had banned the production, possession, distribution and sale of tobacco products such as pan masala and gutka in the State.

It is worth mentioning here that in some states, which includes Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, there is already a ban on the sale of pan masala and gutka.

Making its own motion statement in the Assembly on 8 May 2013 Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu  J. Jayalalithaa denoted to the Supreme Court’s remarks in a case pending before it, looking for to know the action taken by state governments in controlling the usage of tobacco and announced the government’s decision.

J. Jayalalithaa had also mentioned to her Government’s notification on 19 November 2011, to ban the use of tobacco under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, for five years, on which the Supreme Court ruled that the Centre alone had the powers to issue such notifications.

The Government had constituted a separate department Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Medical Administration, after the Centre announced the Food Safety and Standards Act.