Gutkha ban a boon to cigarette making companies?

12 September, 2012

National Capital Terrotory Delhi has decided to put a blanket ban on Gutkha. By doing so Delhi has become the 13th state in the country to ban gutkha due to its ill impact on health.

THE BAN will mean prohibition on sale, purchase, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, storage and display of gutkha. Smokeless Tobacco Federation (STF), the representative body of gutkha industry while protesting against the move by the various state governments said that the ban on gutkha is boon to cigarette industry.

“This ban (on gutkha) is very bad in law. This ban is also boon for few multi national companies who are making or producing cigarettes. Cigarette is more deadlier than gutkha. Why the state governments are not banning cigarette. According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) out of 10 lakh tobacco attributed deaths, 9.9 lakh deaths are due to smoking,” said Sanjay Bechan, executive director of STF said.

STF said that due to the ban around five lakh people will loose their jobs in Delhi itself. The federation also ruled out any possibility of creation of a black market in Delhi after the ban on gutkha comes into effect - with supply coming in from other states and smuggled in for consumption.

“There will not be any black marketing of gutkha as the key ingredients like Catechu, Tobacco are easily available on every paan shop. People can go there and get it,” said Bechan.

Soon after the government brings in notification regarding the ban, the law will be implemented. In the wake of ban, the Delhi government may suffer a revenue loss of around 40 crore rupees annually. Sneha Verma, a Delhi resident, has hailed the ban as healthy and pro-environment.

“I think it's high time country's capital recognized the importance to ban these substance. Not only it is affecting people's health but it also misleads young impressionable minds to do the same. I am in favour of this ban. You go to metro stations or any other public place the whole place is lined with disgusting gutkha marks. Ban is healthy and promotes clean environment as well,” said Verma.

To make the ban on gutkha effective, the responsibility has been given to food safety department, which will conduct raids across the state. Those who will be caught selling or storing gutkha may be awarded imprisonment up to six months or a fine of 3 lakh rupees or both.

There are possibly 65 million people across India, who are addicted to gutkha. According to estimates by the government of Delhi about 8.3 per cent population in the state chew gutkha.