International harm reduction experts urge government to rethink proposed vape ban | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Sunday
July 13, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2025
International harm reduction experts urge government to rethink proposed vape ban

Health

TBS Report
21 August, 2022, 04:40 pm
Last modified: 21 August, 2022, 04:46 pm

Related News

  • BAT’s empire in Bangladesh: Thriving on government silence and public cost
  • Global crises disrupt effort to get millions to quit smoking: report
  • Clash over smoking leads to attack on Sylhet MAG Osmani hospital's emergency ward, 8 injured
  • Govt plans to raise high-end cigarette prices to curb consumption
  • 2 arrested with 6,380 cartons of smuggled foreign cigarettes

International harm reduction experts urge government to rethink proposed vape ban

TBS Report
21 August, 2022, 04:40 pm
Last modified: 21 August, 2022, 04:46 pm
Photo: Courtesy
Photo: Courtesy

A group of international tobacco harm reduction advocates has asked Bangladesh authorities to reconsider its proposed prohibition of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other smokefree nicotine alternatives in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Health. 

The letter states that smoke-free nicotine products have the potential to drive out smoking, and urges the Bangladesh government to prohibit less harmful alternatives to cigarettes. reads a press release.

"The Bangladesh government should support smokers by encouraging a mass switch from high-risk cigarettes to low-risk ENDS and accelerating the end of the epidemic of smoking-related disease," it reads. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

The Bangladesh authorities should establish evidence-based tobacco control and harm reduction policies, which would "deliver net public health benefit", the letter said. 

The letter is a response to a recent proposed amendment to the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended in 2013) that includes a new "Prohibition on Electronic Nicotine Delivery System". 

Electronic Nicotine Delivery System includes e-cigarettes or vapes, among other less harmful tobacco alternatives like nicotine pouches. 

The authors of the letter believe that the impact of the proposed prohibition "has the unintended effect of protecting the cigarette trade and incumbent business interests of the major tobacco companies – even though these companies are trying to switch to marketing lower risk products." 

The letter requests the Bangladesh government to "embrace tobacco harm reduction in Bangladesh's approach to tobacco control", saying that it "would meet the demands of people who cannot or do not wish to quit completely."  

The authors warn that "prohibition or excessive regulation of ENDS without considering the effects on smoking could easily lead to a net increase in harm to public health by "perpetuating smoking" or stimulating black market activity."

The letter calls on the government authorities to adopt a risk-proportionate approach to regulation and use of ENDS to address the health problems caused by cigarettes.

"ENDS should be used to drive down smoking, the dominant form of tobacco use in Bangladesh. ENDS should be seen as an opportunity, not a risk," it read. 

The letter also presents several pieces of scientific evidence that suggest e-cigarettes or vaping is much less harmful than cigarette smoking. 

"In 2018, independent experts for Public Health England reviewed the biomarker data and concluded… Vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking and switching completely from smoking to vaping conveys substantial health benefits… Based on current knowledge, stating that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking remains a good way to communicate the large difference in relative risk unambiguously so that more smokers are encouraged to make the switch from smoking to vaping," the letter cites. 

Urging Bangladesh to move toward a risk-proportionate regulation, the letter says that the primary goal of the country's tobacco policy should be to prevent and control tobacco-related excess mortality and morbidity.

Instead of prohibition, a new regulatory regime could specify age restrictions, product standards, labelling, marketing and use restrictions as appropriate. There is an opportunity for Bangladesh to gain from experience in the United Kingdom, European Union and elsewhere, where there are many valuable lessons to learn, the letter suggested.

The experts emphasised that in a risk-proportionate approach, the highest risk products face the most stringent regulation, and low-risk alternatives face fewer and lighter restrictions. 

Prohibitions are the worst possible policy option, which denies law-abiding smokers much safer options, creates black markets, increases criminality and corruption, ultimately creating new burdens on law enforcement. 

ENDS should be used to drive down smoking, the dominant form of tobacco use in Bangladesh. ENDS should be seen as an opportunity, not a risk, the letter said. 

The 17 signatories to the letter includes Dr Delon Human, who was a former adviser to WHO Director-Generals and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. 

Other signatories include Swedish academic and president of European Red Cross/Red Crescent Network on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, Dr Andres Milton; New Zealand public health professor Marewa Glover; Professor of Social Scientific Addiction Research at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences in Germany, Heino Stöver, among others. 

Smoking / Vape / Cigarettes

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Photo: TBS
    Political activists go awry while government takes a deep slumber
  • Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury at the 11th meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Law and Order on Sunday, 13 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Combing operation from now on to catch identified criminals, improve law & order: Home adviser
  • File photo of Bangladesh Bank. Photo: TBS
    BB asks banks to follow URC documentary collection for transparent contract-based trade

MOST VIEWED

  • RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman speaks at the press briefing on a fake bomb threat on Biman Bangladesh flight on Saturday, 12 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Mother faked bomb threat on Biman flight to stop married son from flying with girlfriend: RAB
  • Bangladeshi garment workers make clothing in the sewing section of a factory in Gazipur, Bangladesh, April 9, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File Photo
    Some Walmart garment orders from Bangladesh on hold due to US tariff threat
  • Infographic: TBS
    Dollar price plummets by Tk2.9 in a week as demand wanes
  • Bangladesh and US hold tariff talks on 11 July 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    Dhaka, Washington yet to agree on 20% of US tariff conditions: BGMEA
  • Infograph: TBS
    Matarbari power plant eyes G2G coal deal with Indonesia after quality setbacks
  • Dr Mohammad Zakir Hossain, managing director of Delta Pharma Ltd and secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI). Sketch: TBS
    Pharma industry grew with policy support, needs it again to survive: BAPI secretary general

Related News

  • BAT’s empire in Bangladesh: Thriving on government silence and public cost
  • Global crises disrupt effort to get millions to quit smoking: report
  • Clash over smoking leads to attack on Sylhet MAG Osmani hospital's emergency ward, 8 injured
  • Govt plans to raise high-end cigarette prices to curb consumption
  • 2 arrested with 6,380 cartons of smuggled foreign cigarettes

Features

Photo: Collected

Grooming gadgets: Where sleek tools meet effortless styles

39m | Brands
The 2020 Harrier's Porsche Cayenne coupe-like rear roofline, integrated LED lighting with the Modellista special bodykit all around, and a swanky front grille scream OEM Plus for the sophisticated enthusiast looking for a bigger family car that isn’t boring. PHOTO: Ahbaar Mohammad

2020 Toyota Harrier Hybrid: The Japanese Macan

1d | Wheels
The showroom was launched through a lavish event held there, and in attendance were DHS Motors’ Managing Director Nafees Khundker, CEO Imran Zaman Khan, and GMs Arman Rashid and Farhan Samad. PHOTO: Akif Hamid

GAC inaugurate flagship showroom in Dhaka

1d | Wheels
After India's visa restriction, China's Kunming is drawing Bangladeshi patients

After India's visa restriction, China's Kunming is drawing Bangladeshi patients

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Apu Biswas secures bail following court surrender

Apu Biswas secures bail following court surrender

1h | TBS Today
Legal fight if 'Shapla' symbol is not given: NCP

Legal fight if 'Shapla' symbol is not given: NCP

2h | TBS Today
Prisoner sentenced to prison for not showing news of president in Tunisia

Prisoner sentenced to prison for not showing news of president in Tunisia

4h | TBS World
The price of the dollar is falling; how much can it fall?

The price of the dollar is falling; how much can it fall?

5h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net