New Delhi: The government yesterday pitched for a ban on all forms of chewing tobacco, gutka or supari laced with nicotine, saying these products fell under the prohibition prescribed under the food safety provisions. “Gutka by its definition is a food added with nicotine and flavours” that is prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sales) Regulations, 2011, Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising told the apex court bench of Justice G S Singhvi and Justice C Nagappan.
Jaising said all form of non-smoking tobacco products were being marketed by misbranding them as mouth fresheners which were in fact unsafe and poisonous. The court would next hear the case on October 4.
IANS
