Punjab bans manufacture of gutkha, pan masala

Chandigarh: Punjab has banned manufacture of food products containing tobacco or nicotine like 'gutkha' and 'pan masala' in the State, with immediate effect. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has asked the health department to take immediate steps to ensure a complete ban on the manufacturing of products containing tobacco or nicotine. The state government has already issued a notification on January 1 banning the storage, sale or distribution of tobacco items by whatever name these are called as final products in the market and has been prohibited for one year in Punjab.