Amending Tobacco Act essential to protect public health: Doctors

Amending the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act (Amendment) 2013 is essential in protecting public health, doctors from various health institutions said today (21 May).

At least 3.84 crore adults are exposed to secondhand smoke daily in various public places and public transports in Bangladesh, they said in a seminar organised by the National Heart Foundation and Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum in the Shamsul Alam Khan conference room at Bangladesh Medical Association building. 

Stating that passive smoking has reached the said level due to a weak law in this regard, experts in the seminar called for amending the Tobacco Act in line with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Delivering the keynote presentation at the seminar, National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute's Pathology and Research Department Head Sohel Reza Choudhury said at least 3.78 crore people use tobacco in the country.

Besides, he said about 1.61 lakh people die every year due to various diseases related to tobacco.

"Bangladesh is at the top of South Asia in terms of tobacco consumption. This is because Bangladesh has not yet achieved the best standards in terms of a smoke-free environment and prohibition of advertising and promotion of tobacco products," said Choudhury.

Bangladesh Medical Association General Secretary Dr Md Ehteshamul Huq Choudhury said in order to protect public health from the dangers of tobacco, it is necessary to amend the existing law to realise the promise of tobacco-free Bangladesh made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Tobacco companies are taking advantage of the weakness of the law to attract youth to tobacco products under the guise of social responsibility programs (CSRs). This has become a major obstacle in tobacco control," he said.

National Heart Foundation President Professor Khondker Abdul Awal Rizvi said, "Non-communicable diseases cause 67% of total deaths in the country. One of the causes of these diseases is smoking and use of tobacco products. Therefore, to prevent such premature deaths, there is an immediate need to amend the existing law."

Speaking as the chief guest on the occasion, State Minister for Health and Family Planning Dr Rokeya Sultana said, "The government is working with utmost importance to public health. I will make every effort to bring the existing tobacco control laws up to global standards to protect the public from the harms of tobacco."