Delhi Government Cracks Down on Endorsements for Pan Masala

The Delhi government is attempting to reduce the consuming and selling of pan masala by reaching out to Bollywood stars and requesting that they do not endorse such products.

Among Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cultures, pan masala is a favored treat but unfortunately, this mouth freshener could be carcinogenic. The Delhi government is attempting to reduce the consuming and selling of pan masala by reaching out to Bollywood stars and requesting that they do not endorse such products.

There have been cases of oral cancer reported due to the highly addictive areca nut (supari) used in pan masala. Experts have stated that the areca nut is as addictive as tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine. The areca nut could possibly lead to Submucous Fibrosis, which can easily turn cancerous. Professor Ying-chin Ko is the vice president of China Medical University in Taiwan and he conducted one of the first studies that linked pan masala (also known as betel quid) to oral cancer in the 1990s.

According to Ko, “Having one is okay, but the danger increases when you start having the second one. When you reach a certain point, people will get cancer.”

Not only is the product addictive but influential and well-loved stars endorse the product, encouraging the use of pan masala.

Dr. Anand Bakshi, a senior consultant oncologist at LH Hiranandani Hospital, told DNA, “Often these tobacco companies portray their products in a glamourous way, thereby attracting children. Chewing on them is shown to be a sign of masculinity, as well as a symbol of social status. Women, too, have increasingly started using these products.”

A clear example of Bakshi’s words is Akshay Kumar’s endorsement of Baba Elaichi mouth freshener. The fun ad, featuring gorgeous girls and Kumar’s rapping skills, was even trending with the hashtag, #BabaElaichi. The light-hearted ad doesn’t portray the dangers of the areca nut and stars that endorse products like Baba Elaichi may face a violation of the Advertising Standards Council of India.

Currently, an investigation is underway to determine if actors are actually violating the council’s rule, which forbids sports, music or cinema personalities from appearing in ads for products that require a health warning. The Delhi government has already approached Sunny Leone for her endorsement deals regarding pan masala and the actress has agreed to cooperate for the benefit of public health.

According to The Huffington Post, Leone’s husband, Daniel Weber, reached out to the Department of Health’s Additional Director, S. K. Arora.

S.K. Arora said, “I received a call from Daniel Weber and he has promised that in future she will not sign any contract for such kind of advertisements…but regarding the present contact they are not sure as they will talk to the company and then inform. I expect that the rest of the Bollywood stars will also come forward and cooperate in public health interest.”

Other stars like Ajay Devgan, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, and Arbaaz Khan have also been written to requesting that they no longer endorse products like pan masala and tobacco but join the government’s anti-tobacco campaign to reduce cancer instead.

Besides a warning from the Advertising Standards Council of India, Bollywood stars may refuse to avoid such endorsement deals because they rake in a large paycheck from these products. Priyanka Chopra allegedly asked for Rs. 1 crore more than her normal fees for her Rajnigandha Silver Pearls ad, a tobacco product made by the same company as Baba Elaichi. Also, King Khan reportedly has a Rs. 20 crore endorsement deal for Pan Vilas, a pan masala product by cigarette maker, Godfrey Phillips India. With the rising dangers of the use of areca nuts, hopefully, stars turn down the paycheck for the sake of public health.

The mouth freshener is an ancient tradition with a long history in India. It is typically a mix of nuts, seeds, herbs and spices usually served after meals. Depending on taste preferences and cultures the ingredients may vary slightly it could include fennel seeds, cardamom, lime, menthol, areca nuts, betel nuts, tobacco and more. Pan masala including tobacco is known as gutkha. Originally the cancerous effects of chewing tobacco led to the ban or restriction of pan masala in some regions.

Scientists at University of Calcutta and Indian Institute of Chemical Biology have discovered that out of the nine varieties of betel leafs they studied, five types of betel leafs had anti-inflammatory properties. The betel leafs used to hold together pan masala may not be harmful, but areca nuts can lead to greater health issues. Chewing betel nuts or areca nuts, in general, will turn our mouth, lips and stool red. Other more severe side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, gum problems, increased saliva, chest pain, abnormal heart beats, low blood pressure, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, heart attack, coma and even death.