Karnataka may ban pan masala, gutka if intoxicants are found, says Shivakumar

Bengaluru,UPDATED: Jun 28, 2026 17:24 IST

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the Karnataka government would crack down on manufacturers found mixing intoxicating substances into pan masala and gutka, and warned that such products could be banned in the state if they were found to contain narcotic substances.

Addressing the 31st Foundation Day celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and the Nasha Mukta Bharat Conclave in Bengaluru, he called the drug menace one of the biggest challenges facing society and urged students and healthcare professionals to become ambassadors of a drug-free Karnataka.

Shivakumar said he had received information that products such as pan masala and gutka were being mixed with substances that cause intoxication. "I have received information that even products like pan masala and gutka are now being mixed with substances that cause intoxication. If anyone is found adding even a small quantity of any intoxicating substance to these products, I will make every effort to ban them in Karnataka," he said.

He said it was a matter of concern that an increasing number of young people were falling into the trap of addiction, and asked students to guide others away from substance abuse. "Our goal is to build a drug-free Karnataka," he said.

He said the government had launched several initiatives to curb drug abuse and would strictly enforce anti-drug measures across the state, particularly in educational institutions. He also urged students attending the conclave to remain disciplined and stay for the speeches by constitutional authorities, saying only disciplined students could become true ambassadors of the Nasha Mukta Bharat campaign.

Shivakumar said Karnataka is home to the country's largest health sciences university, which produces 13,940 medical graduates every year, with more than 70 medical colleges and over four lakh students. He said doctors trained in Karnataka were serving with distinction across the world and announced that RGUHS would soon shift to its new campus in Bengaluru South district.

Describing Bengaluru as a city known for its pleasant weather, rich culture and advanced healthcare infrastructure, he said Karnataka had established itself as one of the country's leading healthcare destinations.

Invoking former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's words, "The children of today will make the India of tomorrow," Shivakumar said protecting the younger generation from drugs was crucial to securing the nation's future. He assured the gathering of the state government's full support in building a drug-free Karnataka, while reiterating that the government would act firmly against intoxicating substances being mixed into consumer products.

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