Khaini not to be banned in Bihar, says Health Minister

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Sunday clarified that they have not written any letter to the Center to facilitate introducing a ban on khaini, consumption of which causes a number of serious ailments.

Pandey said they are against the consumption of gutkha and khaini, found to be the major causes of mouth cancer, but have not asked the Centre for its prohibition.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government has written to the Ministry of health requesting it to bringkhainiunder the list of food products. Once it has been notified as a food product by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the government will have the power to impose a ban on it on health grounds.

The consumption ofkhainiis responsible for a number of serious ailments, including mouth cancer and ailments affecting the lungs and the cardio-vascular system, the state's principal secretary (health) Sanjay Kumar said.

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The Health Minister further appealed to the people of the state to stop the consumption of gutkha and khaini.

According to a recent media report, the state government wrote to the Union Health Ministry, urging it to notify khaini as a food product. Upon notification, the state government can ban the product on health grounds.

According to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act, any food product which has the presence of tobacco and nicotine in it, has to be banned.

According to the World Health Organisation's Global Adult Tobacco Survey,khainiconsumers formed 20 per cent of the total population in 2016-17.

Two years earlier, the Bihar government had banned the sale and consumption of liquor in the state.