Young doctors demand immediate amendment to tobacco control law to protect public health

Young doctors have identified six weaknesses in the existing Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (amended in 2013), and demanded that these provisions be aligned with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). 

The proposed amendments include, prohibiting designated smoking areas (DSAs) in all public places and public transport; banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale;  completely banning tobacco companies from engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities; banning all emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes; increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packaging from 50% to 90%; and prohibiting the sale of single stick cigarettes, open packs, and unwrapped smokeless tobacco products, reads a press release. 

The call was made today, Saturday (December 21, 2024), at a day-long workshop titled "Role of Young Physicians in Tobacco Control to prevent non-communicable diseases and protect public Health." 

The workshop was held at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Cancer Society and was jointly organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Cancer Society.

Professor Dr Md Abdul Hai, Director of Bangladesh Cancer Society Hospital and Welfare Home, presided over the event. Professor Dr Golam Mohiuddin Faruq, President of the Bangladesh Cancer Society, presented the keynote address. He said that tobacco use leads to 161,000 premature deaths annually in Bangladesh. "This number will continue to grow unless the existing Tobacco Control Act is amended promptly. Without this amendment, it will not be possible to prevent these premature deaths," he warned.

Professor Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Epidemiology and Research Department at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, discussed the harmful effects of e-cigarettes. He emphasized that e-cigarettes pose severe health risks, such as heart attacks, strokes, and lung damage. He added, "Recognizing the dangers, 42 countries have already banned e-cigarettes entirely. Recently, Belgium, an EU member state, announced a ban on disposable vape sales starting January next year, primarily due to their appeal to children and environmental harm. Similarly, our country needs to amend its Tobacco Control Act immediately to protect our youth from emerging tobacco products like vaping and e-cigarettes.

Md Ataur Rahman, advocacy manager of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Bangladesh, highlighted the deceptive tactics of tobacco companies. 

He mentioned, "Tobacco companies promote cigarettes through initiatives like Battle of Minds, which target university students under the guise of job opportunities. They also set up designated smoking areas (DSA) in restaurants to make it easier for young people to develop an addiction to tobacco products. To counter these tactics, it is essential to prohibit corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and the display of tobacco products at points of sale."

During the workshop, young doctors were divided into four groups for discussion. They proposed four key recommendations for tobacco control: implement effective taxation on tobacco products, strengthen the existing Tobacco Control Act, halt promotional campaigns by tobacco companies and ban the import, export, and production of e-cigarettes and vaping devices through legislation.

The workshop was attended by Sharf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, advisor to the Tobacco Control Program at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute and Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka, along with Md. Mostafizur Rahman, lead policy advisor of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Bangladesh, and medical students from various institutions across the country.