Tobacco's grip: 442 daily deaths hinder SDG progress, experts demand stronger laws

The staggering toll of tobacco use, claiming approximately 442 lives daily in Bangladesh, poses a significant obstacle to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Target 3.4 aimed at reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one-third.

Public health experts, doctors, and economists called for the immediate strengthening of the nation's tobacco control law, emphasising that any delay will only exacerbate the already alarming death rate, reads a press release.

They raised the concern at a roundtable discussion titled "Strengthening of Tobacco Control Law to Safeguard Public Health and Achieving SDGs: Bangladesh Perspective."

The event, jointly organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and ATMA (Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance), took place at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital yesterday (24 April).

Participants highlighted that the SDGs, adopted in 2015, mandate governments to effectively implement the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), of which Bangladesh is a founding signatory, to achieve health-related Goal 3A.

Speakers underscored that the devastating impact of tobacco extends beyond health, hindering progress across multiple SDGs.

A study revealed that tobacco-user families spend an estimated 5% of their total income on tobacco consumption and a further 10% of their monthly expenses on treating tobacco-related illnesses. The annual cost of treating these diseases in Bangladesh amounts to nearly Tk30,500 crore, further impoverishing vulnerable populations and impeding SDG-1 (No Poverty).

Furthermore, the expansion of tobacco cultivation across over 100,000 acres of arable land threatens food security and sustainable agriculture (SDG-2). Deforestation for tobacco leaf curing accounts for approximately 30% of the total in Bangladesh.

The use of child labour in bidi manufacturing and the environmental pollution caused by cigarette filters and plastic packaging further underscore tobacco's detrimental impact on achieving almost all SDGs.

Rasheda K Choudhury, former adviser to the 2007-08 caretaker government and executive director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), stressed the urgency of a "100% smoke-free environment" to protect non-smokers, including women and children, stating, "There is no alternative to strengthening tobacco control law to achieve that goal."

Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, a public health expert and president-elect of the Public Health Association, stated, "Tobacco is responsible for cancer, cardiovascular diseases [CVDs], and other non-communicable diseases. There is no alternative to strengthening tobacco control law to achieve SDGs."

Dr Mahfuz Kabir, research director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and member of Local Government Reform Commission, refuted the tobacco industry's claims of potential revenue loss, citing NBR data. He urged a long-term strategy to reduce dependence on tobacco revenue and explore alternative income sources.

Dr Syed Abdul Hamid, professor at the Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, emphasised that stronger tobacco control laws would benefit both public health and the government.

Dr Abdun Noor Tushar, physician and media personality, called for prioritising preventive measures like tobacco control over solely focusing on treatment.

Dr Anupam Hossain, public health expert, highlighted the alarming rise of e-cigarette use among youth and called for their ban through amendments to the tobacco control law, citing their similar harm to traditional tobacco products.

Zahirul Alam, head of news at NTV, affirmed the crucial role of mass media in promoting tobacco control and urged continued efforts to expedite the passage of stronger legislation.