State seizes gutka worth ₹63 cr, but only 8 FIRs filed in Mumbai

As rise in oral cancer is linked to failure to enforce the gutka ban, FDA claims manpower shortage

- Rupsa Chakraborty

Despite being Maharashtra’s most populous city with over 12.7 million residents, Mumbai recorded only eight First Information Reports (FIRs) relating to banned tobacco-based substances between April 2024 and March 2025, which is very telling about their accessibility.

This number falls short compared to smaller divisions such as Nagpur (103), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (88), Amravati (64), Nashik (50), Pune (41) and Thane (24).

Public health experts warn that this ban enforcement gap is directly fuelling a rise in oral and head-neck cancers, especially among the youth. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials blamed manpower shortage.

Gutka and paan masala were first banned in Maharashtra in 2012, due to the grave health risks they pose. The ban was extended in 2019, prohibiting their manufacture, sale, distribution and storage. However, the latest enforcement data from the FDA suggests that the law remains poorly implemented in key regions such as Mumbai, reducing it to a symbolic policy rather than a deterrent.