Karnataka Imposes One-Year Ban on Gutkha and Pan Masala Sales

To stop the sale of tobacco products, Karnataka has initiated a ban on gutkha and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine for the next twelve months starting from Wednesday. The ban applies to all aspects of the product’s supply chain ranging from manufacture, storage, distribution, transport and sale of the products. These products cannot find their way to people’s hands via any route in Karnataka.

This prohibition is published in the Gazette of India vide the Commissioner of Food Safety in Karnataka State on June 15, 2026. This ban derives its validity from clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 along with Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulation, 2011. The authorities have cited reasons relating to public health for this prohibition.

Order Applies to Manufacturing, Storing and Selling in Karnataka
What makes this order particularly wide-ranging is the manner in which it takes care of the loopholes through which manufacturers may circumvent the restrictions of such an order. In particular, the notification is intended to prohibit products which may be marketed under different names but still have tobacco or nicotine as components when used in the final product, both packaged and unpackaged. The order also prohibits the loophole in which two different products are combined to create the prohibited substance by consumers.

The order covers all products regardless of whether they come in sachets, pouches or containers and regardless of the brand name under which they are offered for sale. With the issuance of this notification, Karnataka becomes one of the states that have from time to time placed such prohibitions in a bid to reduce tobacco consumption in the country.