56
A bench of state high court has directed the government to ban the sale and use of gutka on grounds that its consumption causes cancer following the example 14 states that have banned the use and sale of the product. The high court gave the directive following a complaint in this regard by an NGO, saying inertia on the part of the government, even there is rising incidence cancer of the mouth.
The high court had earlier said gutka to be a food product which necessitated standards to be maintained according to Food Safety and Standards Act.
Gutka is said to be highly leading to habit formation (addiction), toxic (causing poisonous effect) and carcinogenic (causative agent of cancer).
Source: TOI