In a significant modification to the gutkha ban in place since 2013, the Odisha government has imposed a comprehensive prohibition on the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and consumption of gutka and all food products containing tobacco and nicotine.
Under the revised order, the ban applies to all tobacco- and nicotine-based products, including gutka, pan masala, zarda, khaini, and similar items. However, cigarettes and bidis remain outside its scope. The updated directive aims to eliminate loopholes, establish legal clarity, and ensure uniform enforcement across the state. It clearly reiterates that food safety regulations do not permit the use of tobacco and nicotine as ingredients in any food product, the state health and family welfare department said.
Moreover, the prohibition covers all food products sold as gutka, pan masala, flavoured or scented chewable items, or similar products, regardless of their name, form, or packaging. It also targets products marketed as separate items but packaged or sold in a manner that allows consumers to mix them easily.
Odisha’s Director of Public Health, Nilakantha Mishra, stated that traders had frequently exploited ambiguities in the 2013 order, which prompted the government to issue the revised regulation to effectively curb the sale of tobacco- and nicotine-laced products.
🚨 HUGE BREAKING
Odisha BJP govt BANS Gutkha, Pan Masala, Cigarettes and other Tobacco products across the state.
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) January 22, 2026
To ensure strict enforcement, multiple agencies, including the police, food safety officials, and tobacco control staff, will jointly implement the order. Mishra warned that violators will face stringent penal action under food safety laws.
Meanwhile, the health department has directed all enforcement authorities to ensure full compliance, reinforcing the government’s sustained focus on tobacco control, cancer prevention, and public health protection, especially for youth and vulnerable groups.
The order once again emphasizes that food safety norms prohibit tobacco and nicotine as food ingredients. Any violation will result in strict penalties, including seizure of goods, cancellation of licences, and prosecution under relevant laws. Additionally, the government announced that it will conduct special enforcement drives to curb the illegal sale and circulation of banned products.
