Odisha imposes ban on gutkha !

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) – The Odisha state government has imposed a complete ban across the state on all products made from gutkha, pan masala, zarda, khaini, tobacco or nicotine, including their packaging, storage and sale. An official notification to this effect was issued by the government on 21 January. The ban has been enforced in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court and the Food Safety and Standards Authority. The government has appealed to citizens to comply with the new rules and cooperate in building a healthy and ‘tobacco-free Odisha’.

Adverse impact on health !

According to health officials, tobacco- and nicotine-based products cause life-threatening diseases such as oral cancer, throat cancer and disorders affecting internal organs of the body. These substances pose a serious risk to health, especially for children and youth.

🚫 Gutkha Ban | Odisha Leads the Way 👏

Reports reveal rural India spends more on gutkha & tobacco than on education.

Against this backdrop, Odisha’s statewide ban on gutkha and tobacco/nicotine-laced food products is a bold, commendable step for public health. 🇮🇳

Time for… https://t.co/Slsv3OEM4Y pic.twitter.com/KAaTHzvXke

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) January 24, 2026

Gutkha was being sold in Odisha from other states !

The Odisha government had earlier imposed a ban in 2013 on the manufacture and sale of tobacco- and nicotine-based products. Despite this, these products were being brought in from other states and sold in Odisha. In March last year, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Legislative Assembly that tobacco- and nicotine-based products were being imported from 16 states. Over the past 11 years, the state government earned ₹6,596 crore in revenue from the sale of these products. The Chief Minister further clarified that revenue from the sale of tobacco and pan masala was ₹175 crore in 2014–15, which rose to ₹1,048 crore in 2024–25. With a complete ban now imposed on pan masala, tobacco, zarda, khaini and all products made from tobacco or nicotine, these items will no longer be available in Odisha. This decision is also likely to have an impact on the state government’s revenue.

Editorial Perspective

Congratulations to the BJP government in Odisha ! If a BJP-ruled Odisha government can impose a ban on gutkha, why are other BJP-ruled states not doing the same ?