-The Times of India JAIPUR: If you want a government job in Rajasthan, vow never to smoke cigarettes and chew gutka. The department of personnel has issued a circular to all government departments and district collectors to extract an undertaking from candidates to the effect that they do not smoke or consume gutka while in government service. A copy of the circular, issued on October 4, has been sent to the governor,...

-PTI The Centre on Tuesday made a strong plea before the Supreme Court for passing an appropriate order to ban all kinds of gutka in the country saying they are addictive and harmful even if they don't contain tobacco. Appearing before a bench headed by Justice GS Singhvi, Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising made a forceful submission against manufacturing and selling of gutka products. Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who is assisting the...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: About 250 million adults consume smokeless tobacco in the 11 countries of the WHO's south-east Asia region, which constitutes 90% of global smokeless tobacco users. India lays claim to 32% men and 18.4% women, who consume smokeless tobacco costing the country $389 million. A study of healthcare costs by Tobacco in India estimated that in 2004, the direct medical costs of treating smokeless tobacco-related diseases in...

-PTI Noting that use of tobacco imposes serious consequences on economy and society, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said its control needs a combination of political and public health action and multi-sectoral policies will drive down its demand and supply. In a televised address at ‘The International Conference on Public Health Priorities in the 21st Century: The Endgame for Tobacco', Dr. Singh said the tobacco use had claimed about 100...

-The Hindu Chennai: Just ahead of World No Tobacco Day (on Friday), the State government issued a formal notification to implement the ban on manufacture, sale, storage, and distribution of gutka and pan masala in the State. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa made an announcement on the floor of the Assembly during the budget session that the government would implement a comprehensive ban on gutka and pan masala. The notification was issued on May 23...