Youth call for immediate passage of amendments to Tobacco Control Act
News Desk
With a united voice, young anti-tobacco advocates from across the country demanded the immediate passage of amendments to the Tobacco Control Act to protect public health. On Saturday morning (December 21), Shahbagh became a vibrant hub of activism as students from various universities,
alongside members of the Mothers Forum Against Tobacco, Nari Maitree, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, DORP, PROGGA, Shastho Surokkha Foundation, Unnayan Shamannay, National Heart Foundation, and other anti-tobacco organizations, joined hands in a human chain.
Their mission was clear: to press for six critical changes to strengthen the law and curb the deadly impact of tobacco. Their mission was clear to propose six key reforms that would enhance the law’s effectiveness in reducing tobacco-related harm. The proposed amendments include prohibiting designated smoking areas in all public places and public transport, banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale, and completely Discouraging any form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies. Additionally, they call for increasing the size of graphic health warnings on tobacco product packaging from 50% to 90%, prohibiting the retail sale of single cigarettes, loose tobacco, and unpackaged smokeless tobacco products, and fully banning all emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
Speakers at the human chain referenced data from the Tobacco Atlas 2018, highlighting that approximately 161,000 individuals in Bangladesh die prematurely each year due to tobacco-related illnesses, which translates to 442 deaths per day. Tobacco use is associated with a range of diseases, including heart disease, lung conditions, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, kidney diseases, and injuries. Women and children are especially at risk from the detrimental effects of secondhand smoke, which can result in complications such as miscarriages, premature births, low birth weight, excessive bleeding during delivery, and stillbirths.
In order to prevent such premature deaths and mitigate the health risks to women and children, it is imperative that the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act be passed without delay. Shaheen Akter Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree, emphasized the urgency of passing the revised law to protect public health. She noted that tobacco companies are spreading misinformation to obstruct the process.
These companies claim that strengthening the law will reduce government revenue, which is baseless. According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), revenue from tobacco increased significantly despite the enactment of the Tobacco Control Act in 2005 and its amendment in 2013. For example, revenue from tobacco rose from BDT 2,888 crore in 2005 to BDT 32,823 crore in the fiscal year 2022-23. However, the cost of treating tobacco-related illnesses exceeds the revenue generated by approximately BDT 8,000 crore annually. Ignoring this reality, tobacco companies focus solely on maximizing their profits by hindering the amendments.
Furthermore, these companies are targeting small and marginal businesses with false rumors, claiming that the amendments will ruin their livelihoods. This claim is unfounded, as small businesses sell various products apart from cigarettes. The decrease in tobacco sales will not significantly affect their income, but it will reduce the prevalence of harmful tobacco use in the country.
Tobacco companies also propagate the false notion that employment will be adversely affected. In reality, according to NBR, only 46,000 workers are employed in the bidi industry, and 90% of the cigarette market is controlled by two multinational companies, BATB and JTI, employing only 1,769 people combined. The claim that 7 million people will lose their jobs is mere propaganda.
As a signatory to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), Bangladesh is committed to safeguarding its tobacco control policies from tobacco industry interference. Particularly, Article 5.3 of the FCTC recommends that governments develop and implement tobacco control policies free from tobacco industry influence.
Therefore, today’s gathering aims to advocate for passing the amendments to protect public health without being misled by tobacco industry tactics. Abdus Salam Mia, Programs Manager of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), praised the youth for organizing the event. He emphasized that tobacco companies' marketing strategies are increasing tobacco addiction among young people.
Referring to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, he highlighted that smoking rates among adolescents aged 13-15 are highest in India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, with 12% of adolescents in Bangladesh being regular smokers. He urged the youth to stand strong against the misleading tactics of tobacco companies to protect future generations.
