Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has decided to withdraw its ban on gutka and tobacco-containing pan masala, just two days after the prohibition came into effect, following concerns from legislators that it could affect arecanut growers.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar directed officials to withdraw the order after legislators from the BJP and Congress raised concerns about its potential impact on the arecanut market.
Farmers at the centre of the debate
The prohibition order issued on August 10 covered the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutka, pan masala and other food products containing tobacco or nicotine.
The decision triggered concern in Karnataka’s arecanut-growing regions, particularly the Malnad belt, where thousands of families depend on the crop.
Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said public health must remain a priority but argued that farmers should not be left to bear the financial consequences of policy changes.
JD(S) MLA A. Manju also warned that the move could face strong opposition in regions dependent on arecanut cultivation.
Political pressure grows
BJP MP B.Y. Raghavendra demanded that the government withdraw the order, claiming that arecanut prices had already fallen after the announcement. He also said the BJP would launch protests if the decision was not reversed.
The government’s original order was issued under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, allowing authorities to restrict certain food products in the interest of public health.
Balancing health and livelihoods
The reversal highlights the difficult balance between controlling tobacco-related products and protecting agricultural livelihoods.
Arecanut growers have invested years in cultivating their plantations, with the crop often requiring several years before yielding returns.
The latest development is therefore likely to keep both public health and farmer welfare at the centre of Karnataka’s policy debate.