The Assam government has banned the gutka, pan masala and chewing materials containing tobacco and nicotine for a period of one year in the state under Clause (A) of Sub-Section 2 of Section 30 of the Food Safety & Security Act, 2006. The prohibition has been made under the regulations of 2, 3 and 4 of the Food Safety & Standards (Prohibitions and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations 2011 of the Food Safety & Standards Act. Earlier in 2013, the Assam government had banned manufacture and distribution of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine for a period of one year.
Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2019
A report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that Assam is the fourth highest tobacco consuming state in India. The 2016-17 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) found that the consumption of tobacco increased from 39.3% to 48.2% in just five years. This contradicted the mark as the level of tobacco usage reduced from 34.6% to 28.6%. The survey found that 41.1% of all adults in Assam consume smokeless tobacco with its prevalence increasing by nine percentage points.
