Bhubaneswar, Jan 30: The Odisha government has clarified that pan masala products which do not contain tobacco or nicotine are not covered under the state’s recent ban on the manufacture and sale of tobacco- and nicotine-containing food items.

In a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and addressed to the Commissioner of CT and GST, the government stated that “pan masala not containing tobacco or nicotine is not covered under the prohibition imposed” under the earlier notification. The clarification aims to remove confusion among traders, enforcement agencies and consumers following the ban announcement.

After the ban was notified, several traders expressed uncertainty over whether all pan masala products, including tobacco-free variants, would be prohibited. The Health Department has now made it clear that only products containing tobacco or nicotine fall under the ban, while pan masala without these substances can continue to be manufactured and sold in the state.

Earlier, the Odisha government had issued a comprehensive notification prohibiting the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of all food products containing tobacco or nicotine across the state. The ban covers chewable, flavoured, scented or additive-mixed products such as gutkha, pan masala and similar items, whether sold individually or as separate components intended to be consumed together.

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