Still 14 States to ban gutka

: After Delhi and Gujarat governments notified the ban on gutka and paan masala on Tuesday, the number of states with similar prohibition have gone up to 14. However, Odisha accounting for the highest percentage of tobacco chewers in the country is yet to join the league of tobacco-free states.

Experts say besides its direct adverse impact on health, gutka items are among the most adulterated products, multiplying the health risks of those using it. Besides Delhi and Gujarat, 10 states and UTs, including Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Mizoram banned gutka by implementing the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations-2011.

The Food Safety Standardization Authority of India (FSSAI), a statutory body under the Union health ministry to handle food-related issues, notified the new regulations on August 1, 2011. Goa and Sikkim had clamped such ban prior to the FSSAI regulation on the basis of their own state laws.

Under rule 2.3.4 of the FSSAI regulation "food product will not contain any substance which may be injurious to health: Tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food products". MP was the first state to implement the FSSAI regulation-2011 on April 1, followed by others. Though Odisha notified the regulation on July 22, it is yet to issue orders on the ban of gutka products as is required.

Gutka ban has special significance for Odisha because the latest annual health survey (AHS) found Odisha having the highest percentage of tobacco chewers among the nine surveyed states. Odisha with 38% tobacco chewers in the above 15 years age group is ahead of Assam (36.6%),Chhattisgarh (32.5%), Jharkhand (24.1%), Bihar (22.5%), Uttar Pradesh (21%), Madhya Pradesh (18.9%), Uttarakhand (8.8%) and Rajasthan (6.9%), the government survey said.

While 40.6% of the state's rural population consume edible tobacco, their population in urban areas is 25.6%. Among men, 45.8% use smokeless tobacco while 30.3% women chew tobacco. Health authorities said the ban is under active consideration of the government. "We have already made a detailed proposal for banning gutka and paan masala under the central legislation. The government will soon take a decision," said director (public health) Dr Prasad Kumar Patnaik.

Director (health services) Dr Tribikram Panda said a commissionerate of food safety will soon be notified as the nodal authority to implement the ban on gutka. "The commissionerate will be responsible to ensure food safety, including ban of edible tobacco products, and prevent adulteration," said Dr Panda.

Anti-tobacco activists and experts said tobacco is the single largest cause of oral cancer in the state and its adulteration is substantially adding to the health risks. "Several laboratory tests show that calcium or magnesium carbonate is added to gutka," said Itishree Kanungo, an anti-tobacco activist. The chemicals give extra texture to gutka. While magnesium carbonate is toxic to cheek lining, kidney and heart. "Though the additives may be posing a health hazard, the biggest worry continues to remain the tobacco part, which is addictive and is among the main causes of oral cancer," said Dr AK Rath, chairman and managing director of Hemalata Hospitals and Research Centre in the city.

 

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