[REVISION HISTORY]

Karnataka gutkha and nicotine product ban

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-14 13:41 UTC → 2026-08-16 17:57 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On August 12, 2026, the Karnataka government issued a notification through the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration prohibiting the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of gutkha, pan masala, and other nicotine-containing products. The one-year ban was intended to protect public health and reduce nicotine-related harms. By August 14, the government began considering a withdrawal of the ban. Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar reportedly directed officials to review the order following opposition from both Congress and BJP legislators, who argued the prohibition would negatively impact arecanut growers in seven to eight districts. ~~The~~ This potential reversal caused market volatility in the Koppal district, where panic buying led to shortages and black market prices rising from ₹25 to as much as ₹100 per packet. However, on August 14, Health Minister U. T. Khader denied rumors of a rollback, clarifying that the state has not withdrawn the ban. Khader emphasized that the prohibition specifically targets nicotine-laced products rather than arecanut itself. Addressing concerns from growers, the Minister asserted that the decision should not negatively impact farmers and could potentially lead to an increase in arecanut prices, noting that gutkha manufacturers often source arecanut from Nepal and Bangladesh rather than India.

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