The Odisha government has announced a comprehensive ban on the production, preparation, packaging, storage, transportation, trade, and sale of gutkha, pan masala, zarda, khaini, and all food products containing tobacco or nicotine across the state.
This strict prohibition comes in compliance with the Honourable Supreme Court’s directions and guidelines issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The measure is implemented under Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, as part of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Health officials emphasise that tobacco and nicotine-laden products are major contributors to serious diseases, including oral cancer, throat cancer, and other life-threatening conditions affecting internal organs. These substances pose an especially grave risk to children and young people.
The ban has been formalised through Notification No. 2065, issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on January 21, 2026.
In a public appeal, the state government urged citizens to adhere to the new rules and actively participate in building a healthier, tobacco-free Odisha.
