Odisha bans gutka, tobacco, cigarettes in state to curb rising cancer issue

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The Odisha government has prohibited the production, packaging, distribution, and sale of items like beedis, gutkha, tobacco, and cigarettes in the state.

On January 22, 2026, the Odisha government took a major decision by banning tobacco-related items. The state's health department issued a gazette notification regarding this decision.

List of banned tobacco products

Gutkha, paan masala, zarda, khaini.

All types of flavoured, scented, or additive-containing chewing products.

Both packaged and unpackaged tobacco products.

Products are sold in separate packets that are meant to be used together.

Any food product containing tobacco or nicotine, regardless of its name.

This ban applies to all oral (for use in the mouth) tobacco products, regardless of the form in which they are manufactured, sold, stocked, or used.

Reason behind banning these items

The Health Department says that this decision was taken due to the increasing rate of cancer in the state, which is largely attributed to the consumption of these items. They further said that the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, stomach, kidneys, lungs, etc increasing in the  state.​