Bhubaneswar, Jan 30: The Odisha government has clarified that pan masala products which do not contain tobacco or nicotine are not covered under the recent statewide ban on the manufacture and sale of tobacco- or nicotine-containing food items. The clarification was issued to address widespread confusion among traders, enforcement agencies and consumers following the ban announcement.
In an official notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and addressed to the Commissioner of Commercial Tax and GST, the government stated that “pan masala not containing tobacco or nicotine is not covered under the prohibition imposed” under the earlier order. Officials said the clarification is intended to ensure uniform interpretation and implementation of the ban across the state.
After the ban was notified, several traders had expressed concerns over whether all pan masala products, including tobacco-free variants, would be prohibited. The Health Department has now made it clear that only products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients fall under the ban, while tobacco-free pan masala can continue to be legally manufactured, stored and sold in Odisha.
Earlier, the Odisha government had issued a comprehensive notification banning the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of all products containing tobacco or nicotine. The prohibition covers chewable, flavoured, scented and additive-mixed products such as gutkha, pan masala and similar items, whether sold individually or as separate components intended to be consumed together.
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