"This has been done in the larger interest of public health. The chewing of gutka, pan masala and other tobacco products was a potent health hazard and responsible for deadly disease of cancer especially of mouth and throat," he added.
He said that other food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name, had also been banned.
These products were earlier banned only in the districts of Amritsar, Ropar, Mohali and Mansa as these have famous religious shrines.
Source: IANS