Maharashtra bans betel leaf, 'maava' and flavoured tobacco mix

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government has extended the ban on sale and manufacture of gutka as well as paan masala to include all types of processed or packaged tobacco.

As a result, local vendors cannot sell paan ( betel leaf) with flavoured tobacco, kaath and lime (edible calcium carbonate) and also 'maava' or 'kharra' (mix of processed tobacco, betelnut or areca nut and lime), 'khaini' (flavoured tobacco) or other processed and packaged tobacco products.

The ban, which would be in force for a year, does not apply to unprocessed betelnut and tobacco, Maharashtra's Minister of State for Food and Drugs Administration Satej Patil said.

"We will start collecting samples from vendors to check them for presence of magnesium carbonate which causes cancer," the minister said.

On July 19, Maharashtra government had extended the ban on gutka by 12 another months and also made provisions to ban other tobacco products as per its new rules.

"The new rules have come into force," he said. Sale of betel leaf and made-to-order mix of betelnut and flavoured tobacco, called 'maava' in Mumbai, Pune and Western Maharashtra and 'kharra' in Nagpur as well as the rest of Vidarbha shot up after gutka and paan masala were banned.