BENDSTA welcomes planned changes to tobacco control ordinance

The government is set to lift the existing ban on the production and sale of e-cigarettes in the country by amending the Tobacco Control Ordinance.

According to relevant sources, the changes are being introduced based on the recommendations of a parliamentary special committee formed to review 133 ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government.

The Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BENDSTA) said in a press release today that the decision reflects a balance between public health and practical realities.

BENDSTA President Suman Zaman said the reassessment of the Tobacco Control Ordinance is a constructive initiative.

Sources further said that, in line with the parliamentary committee's recommendations, the Ministry of Health is preparing a draft in which the contested provisions have been removed. The draft will be sent to the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division very soon.

Earlier, at a press conference last month, the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association said e-cigarettes, or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), commonly known as vapes, are globally recognised as a tobacco harm reduction method.

The organisation noted that, according to the UK guideline titled "Smoking and tobacco: applying all our health", issued on 4 July 2025, smoking is defined not as a lifestyle choice but as a dependency that requires treatment and support. Under the long-term plan of the National Health Service in the UK, supporting smokers to quit is considered a key preventive public health priority.

The guideline's section on stop-smoking aids specifically identifies e-cigarettes, or vapes, as the most widely used support tool for smoking cessation and highlights the growing body of scientific evidence regarding their effectiveness. A published systematic review by Cochrane shows that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are nearly twice as effective in helping people quit smoking compared with nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum.

BENDSTA leaders said the government's initiative could mark a timely and pragmatic shift from prohibition to policy-based regulation.

Suman Zaman said young people have not stopped using e-cigarettes; rather, these products are entering Bangladesh through illegal channels. He added that, with proper laws and monitoring in place, the government could also generate significant revenue from the sector.

He further said the most effective way to ensure youth protection is not prohibition, but effective and targeted regulation.

Through proper age verification, licensed sales, advertising restrictions and strict monitoring, access by minors can be effectively prevented, he said. In contrast, a complete ban drives the market underground, where there is no oversight, leading to the growth of illegal black markets and making products more easily and uncontrollably available to young people.

In this reality, a regulated framework is a more effective and sustainable path to protecting public health and ensuring the safety of young people.