Ban on gutka

The Mumbai High Court upheld the ban imposed on the sale of the gutka in the state of Maharashtra by the Commissioner, Foods and drugs Administration (FDA) under the Food Safety and Standards Act. It is reported that close to 30% of the state’s population is consuming gutka and related tobacco products before the ban. Even in schools, teachers, non-teaching staff and students consume gutka and the percentage is only increasing by the day.

The essential ingredients used in gutka are betal nuts, catechu, tobacco, lime and “permitted flavours”. Chemical analyses reveal that gutkha contains both nicotine (1.6–4.5 mg/gm) and arecoline (1.4-2.5 mg/gm). Significant levels of trace metals such as phosphorus, calcium, copper, magnesium, zinc and iron have been detected in these products. Some of the organics in tobacco and betal nuts are well known carcinogens.

Cancer index quantifies potency of a particular product to cause cancer and some gutkhas had a potency of 13.75, which is enough to ban the product in Europe and America.

It is high time that everyone cooperates and supports this legal sanction fully. Let us kick out this habit of mass public health concern.