A Strong Step Towards a Tobacco-Free Karnataka. A Message from a Radiation Oncologist on the Karnataka Government’s Ban on Tobacco- and Nicotine-Containing Products By Dr. M. G. Giriyappagoudar, MD (Radiation Oncology), DMRT Senior Radiation Oncologist, HCG Cancer Centre, Hubballi



As a senior Radiation Oncologist serving patients in North Karnataka, I warmly welcome the Karnataka Government’s recent decision to prohibit, for one year, the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutkha, pan masala and other specified products containing tobacco and/or nicotine. The order of the Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka, took effect from 10 August 2026 and has been issued in the interest of public health.

I sincerely congratulate and thank the Government of Karnataka, the Food Safety Commissioner and the officials involved in implementing this important public-health measure.

Why this decision matters to cancer doctors

Every day, cancer specialists witness the devastating consequences of tobacco use—not merely in statistics, but in the lives of real people and their families.

As a Radiation Oncologist, I regularly treat patients with oral cavity, tongue, cheek, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, laryngeal and other head-and-neck cancers. A significant proportion of these cancers are associated with tobacco exposure, particularly smoking and smokeless tobacco use.

For many patients, the journey begins with what appears to be a harmless habit: “Just one packet a day,” “I have been chewing it for years,” or “I can stop whenever I want.”

Unfortunately, tobacco dependence can gradually turn into a serious health problem, and the consequences can be life-changing.

Tobacco is not simply a habit—it is a major preventable health risk

Tobacco exposure is associated with cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, lung and several other organs. Smokeless tobacco products can be particularly concerning because they are often perceived as safer alternatives to smoking.

They are not.

The availability of tobacco and nicotine-containing products in small shops, near schools and colleges, workplaces and public spaces can make these products easily accessible, particularly to young people.

That is why reducing availability is an important component of tobacco control.

India's tobacco-control framework already recognises the serious health hazards of tobacco. The National Health Mission notes that the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, was enacted to regulate tobacco products and protect people from tobacco-related health hazards. Food-safety regulations also prohibit tobacco and nicotine from being used as ingredients in food products.

A message from the cancer clinic

As an oncologist, I would like to send a simple message to every young person:

Do not start tobacco.

And to those who are already using tobacco:

It is never too late to quit.

Stopping tobacco can reduce the risk of developing tobacco-related cancers and other serious diseases. More importantly, quitting protects not only the individual but also the family and the next generation.

Parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and community leaders all have an important role in helping young people understand the dangers of tobacco before addiction begins.

A welcome step—but implementation is equally important

A policy becomes successful when it reaches the ground.

I therefore sincerely hope that the recent order will be supported by:

  • Strong and consistent enforcement across Karnataka

  • Regular inspections of manufacturing and storage facilities

  • Strict action against illegal distribution and sale

  • Prevention of sales around educational institutions

  • Greater public awareness regarding tobacco-related cancers

  • Easy access to tobacco-cessation services

  • Greater involvement of doctors, dentists, teachers and community organisations

The recent order specifically covers manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale, making enforcement across the supply chain particularly important.

Let us make North Karnataka healthier

As someone working in cancer care in Hubballi and North Karnataka, I have personally seen the physical, emotional and financial burden that cancer places on patients and their families.

Cancer treatment can involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, rehabilitation and prolonged follow-up. But in many cases, prevention remains far better than treatment.

Reducing tobacco consumption is therefore not merely a regulatory issue. It is a cancer-prevention strategy.

Every person who does not start tobacco, every person who quits, and every child protected from tobacco exposure represents a potential cancer prevented in the future.

My sincere appreciation to the Karnataka Government

I would like to place on record my sincere appreciation to the Government of Karnataka and the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety for taking this important public-health initiative.

As a Radiation Oncologist, I strongly believe that the fight against cancer should not begin only inside the cancer hospital.

It should begin much earlier—with prevention, awareness, healthy choices and effective public-health policies.

This decision is an important step in that direction.

Let us work together for a Karnataka where children grow up without tobacco addiction, young people understand the dangers of nicotine, and fewer families have to experience the suffering caused by tobacco-related cancer.

Tobacco-Free Karnataka is not just a government goal—it should be a collective responsibility.

I welcome this decision wholeheartedly and thank the Karnataka Government for taking a strong step towards protecting the health of our people.

Dr. M. G. Giriyappagoudar, MD (Radiation Oncology), DMRT
Senior Radiation Oncologist
HCG Cancer Centre, Hubballi
North Karnataka

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