<p>A comprehensive ban on production and sale of Gutka will come into effect in Gujarat from tomorrow, as per the notification issued by the state government.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Chief Minister Narendra Modi, during his Independence Day address, had announced complete ban on Gutka from September 11.<br /><br />"I have to save the youths of Gujarat from the dreaded evil of cancer and that's why a decision to impose a complete ban on gutka has been taken," Modi said in his speech in Junagadh.<br /><br />State government had issued a notification on September 3 prohibiting sale, storage and distribution of Gutka with effect from September 11.<br /><br />The ban as per provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 would initially be for one year, Gujarat's Commissioner of Food Safety Dr H G Koshia had said.<br /><br />Any violation of ban would attract at least six months of imprisonment and a fine upto Rs 5 lakh, according to the notification.<br /><br />However, the prohibition would not be applicable in respect of 100 per cent export oriented units. The ban will also not be applicable to pan masala.<br /><br />The Global Adult Tobacco Survey of India 2009-10 revealed that 35 per cent adults use tobacco in some form or other, out of which 21 per cent were found to be consuming smokeless tobacco (like gutka).<br /><br />As per this survey, smokeless tobacco use is more prevalent in Gujarat with 18.4 per cent of the adult population addicted to it.<br /><br />The Maharashtra government had recently imposed a ban on gutka and pan masala.<br /><br /> Some other states like Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar had also followed suit.</p>
<p>A comprehensive ban on production and sale of Gutka will come into effect in Gujarat from tomorrow, as per the notification issued by the state government.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Chief Minister Narendra Modi, during his Independence Day address, had announced complete ban on Gutka from September 11.<br /><br />"I have to save the youths of Gujarat from the dreaded evil of cancer and that's why a decision to impose a complete ban on gutka has been taken," Modi said in his speech in Junagadh.<br /><br />State government had issued a notification on September 3 prohibiting sale, storage and distribution of Gutka with effect from September 11.<br /><br />The ban as per provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 would initially be for one year, Gujarat's Commissioner of Food Safety Dr H G Koshia had said.<br /><br />Any violation of ban would attract at least six months of imprisonment and a fine upto Rs 5 lakh, according to the notification.<br /><br />However, the prohibition would not be applicable in respect of 100 per cent export oriented units. The ban will also not be applicable to pan masala.<br /><br />The Global Adult Tobacco Survey of India 2009-10 revealed that 35 per cent adults use tobacco in some form or other, out of which 21 per cent were found to be consuming smokeless tobacco (like gutka).<br /><br />As per this survey, smokeless tobacco use is more prevalent in Gujarat with 18.4 per cent of the adult population addicted to it.<br /><br />The Maharashtra government had recently imposed a ban on gutka and pan masala.<br /><br /> Some other states like Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar had also followed suit.</p>