Bengaluru, Aug. 12: Karnataka has imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutkha, pan masala and other tobacco- and nicotine-containing products, stepping up its public health measures with statewide enforcement and an appeal for public cooperation in identifying violations.
The Karnataka Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration announced that the prohibition follows a government notification issued on August 10, 2026, and will remain in force for one year from the date of its issuance. According to an official release from the office of the Commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration, the measure has been introduced in the interest of public health.
The notification prohibits the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco and/or nicotine throughout Karnataka. It also extends to other products that contain tobacco or nicotine in the final form sold to consumers.
Authorities clarified that the prohibition covers products packaged or marketed separately if they are intended to be mixed by consumers before use. The provision aims to include products that may otherwise be sold individually but ultimately result in the consumption of tobacco or nicotine.
To implement the notification, the Food Safety Division has launched special inspection and enforcement drives across the state. Food Safety Officers are leading operations to monitor manufacturing units, storage facilities, transport networks, distribution channels and retail outlets for prohibited products.
The enforcement action has been initiated under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, read with Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011.
The Department stated that strict enforcement measures would continue to prevent the circulation of products covered under the notification. Officials indicated that inspection teams would focus on ensuring compliance with the ban throughout its one-year duration.
The Commissioner of the Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration also appealed to residents to report any instances involving the manufacture, sale or distribution of prohibited tobacco and nicotine products. The department urged citizens to cooperate with enforcement authorities in restricting the availability of such products across the state.
According to the official statement, public participation is an important component of the enforcement effort, with the department calling on people to assist in the objective of building a healthy and addiction-free Karnataka by reporting violations to the concerned authorities.
