DIMAPUR, JUN 4 (NPN): State government has imposed a one-year statewide ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of all food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, citing public health concerns and directions from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
According to a notification issued by the commissioner of food safety, the ban has been enforced under Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which prohibits the use of tobacco and nicotine in any food product. The order covers gutkha, pan masala mixed with tobacco or nicotine, flavoured and scented chewable products, and any other food items containing tobacco or nicotine, irrespective of the name under which they are sold.
The prohibition also extends to products sold in separate packets but marketed or distributed in a manner that facilitates mixing by consumers. The move follows observations by the Supreme Court of India that manufacturers were circumventing existing bans on gutkha by selling pan masala and flavoured chewing tobacco in separate sachets, commonly known as “twin packs.”
The notification cited a March 27, 2026 directive issued by the FSSAI to all states and Union Territories, calling for strict enforcement of the Supreme Court’s directions and full compliance with food safety regulations.
State health and family welfare (H&FW) department noted that the widespread consumption of smokeless tobacco and nicotine products posed serious health risks, particularly to children and young adults.
The ban applies across Nagaland and covers all packaged and unpackaged food products containing tobacco or nicotine, whether sold individually or in combination with other products.
The order has been issued in the interest of public health under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Friday, June 5, 2026