The Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) has proposed a 70 percent tax on all types of cigarettes and tobacco in the next budget. The association reckons that doing so will reduce smoking by about 66 percent, alongside generating revenue of Tk1,700 crore for state coffers. The proposal was submitted to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) during the pre-budget discussion held at the NBR Building on Sunday (February 18). The General Secretary of the BEA Professor Dr. Md. Aynul Islam presented the budget proposal. Vice President of the association Professor Hannana Begum was present. Read more: Govt cut VAT, duty on import of 4 essential items ahead of Ramadan According to the BEA's proposal, imposing a single supplementary duty of 70 percent on all types of cigarettes would increase the price of cigarettes by an average of 130 percent. Smoking will be reduced by 66 percent. About 70 lakh smokers will quit smoking, and about 71 lakh young people will stop habituating to smoking. Also, the additional tax revenue of the government will be earned at least Tk1700 crores, the proposal stated. Similarly, the BEA demanded to impose a tax of 70 percent on all types of tobacco products including smokeless tobacco such as jorda, gul, sadapata, etc. On the other hand, in the case of bidi, if the tax is imposed at the rate of Tk 4.90 on the retail price of every 25 shalak (piece) packet, the government will be able to collect additional revenue of Tk 800 crore. Read more: ICMAB delegation takes part in pre-budget discussion with NBR The BEA thinks with such a tax increase; revenue earning will be raised and it would help to revive the economy from the ongoing economic crisis. The BEA has a total of 27 new sources of revenue income. At this time, Prof Aynul said, as a method of gathering resources for the upcoming budget, no pressure can be applied on the general population, such as the poor, lower class, lower middle class, and middle class. Due to various reasons, this class of people is now in a severe economic crisis. It would be unfair at this moment to rely completely on them as in the past for tax collection. In that case, the imposition of additional income tax on these three groups – the super-rich, the rich, and the upper-middle class – can be considered, said Prof Aynul. Read more: PROGGA, ATMA for imposing specific taxes on tobacco products

Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health that increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases. Knowing this, many of those who once smoked a cigarette out of curiosity later became complete smokers. Those who have been smoking for a long time, fail to quit smoking. Most chain smokers think of quitting smoking again and again but are not able to quit even after trying. However, if you are a smoker, you may follow some rules that can help you quit smoking easily. Let's take a look at some tips given by smoking cessation experts. There are many products that can be used to recover from nicotine addiction. However, most of the products might not be available locally. Hence, it would be great if we can make a habit to leave smoking without using any products. How to Quit Smoking Tobacco Products Find a strong reason to stop smoking If you want to inspire yourself or move away from something, you always need some solid reason. To get rid of the habit of smoking, you need to have a goal of your own. For example, quitting smoking greatly reduces your risk of heart disease or lung cancer, and keeps your body young even as you get older. Also, there are many more reasons you can add to your list to quit smoking. Finally, a person who is addicted to smoking can easily restrain himself if he can understand the identified issues properly. Read Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks Take help from nearest and dearest ones Tell your friends, family, and colleagues that you want to quit smoking. Tell them to encourage you. Maybe if you go to a party and grab a cigarette, it will be useful if the people around you refrain from smoking. The study says that the combined behavioral therapy is very useful in eliminating our various bad habits. Control your stress Many people think that smoking is especially effective in relieving their stress. In fact, it is more a matter of thought than of consumption. When a person settles his mind that smoking helps him with anxiety or emotional issues, it becomes very difficult to get rid of cigarettes very naturally. In this case, if you are stressed, all you have to do is take a break and go to a natural shelter. For example, staying in a circle of friends to overcome depression, listening to some beautiful songs, entertaining yourself in the natural scene, etc. As a result of implementing these, you will be able to realize for a while that it is not smoking, but natural or physiological activities that will alleviate anxiety and demand balanced energy. Read Types of Meditation: Which One is Right for You Changes in eating habits Having a cup of tea, with a cigarette; or smoking a little after eating a meal is like someone's daily routine. Some people hold a soft drink in their right hand and hold a cigarette in their other hand. Note that since you want to refrain from smoking, it is very important to change your eating habits for a while. For example, one can keep away from tea or soft drinks for a few days, brush one's teeth after eating rice. After a meal, chat with a friend or have a little conversation with a loved one. Nicotine gum and Lozenges Since regular smoking is a strong bad habit, when someone suddenly tries to refrain from smoking, the person's mental behavior or body changes in various ways. So, think of some alternatives to cigarettes. Studies show that using nicotine gum, lozenges, or chewing gum as an alternative to cigarettes can be somewhat helpful in avoiding bad habits. There are some chewing gums available in the market for quitting cigarettes that are quite effective. You can try them. Read Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction Seek help from a doctor Sometimes a brain addicted to nicotine needs to consult a doctor to get rid of smoking. According to the advice, certain rules can be used to keep track of the harms of smoking, such as meditation. Alternatively, if you use cigarettes to relieve stress, think differently. With the advice of a doctor, you can take mental illness medicine instead of cigarettes. Stop drinking alcohol Alcohol is overly connected with smoking and it is as harmful as smoking. So drinking alcohol should be avoided. If you are an alcoholic or casual drinker, you should refrain from alcohol too. Do physical work Physical activity will help you quit smoking. You can start walking or jogging when you desire to smoke. Physical activity can take away your craving to smoke. Moreover, this will eliminate extra calories from your body. Read Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth? Some traditional methods After smoking for a long time, nicotine goes deep into the body. There is no substitute for water to wash away the nicotine that accumulates in the body as a toxin. Drink plenty of water to quit smoking. Besides, you may eat ginger. Some of the ingredients present in it suppress the desire to smoke in various ways. You can eat ginger tea or raw ginger. You can eat grape juice. It increases the performance of the lungs by removing toxins that accumulate in the body due to nicotine. In addition, the desire to smoke began to decrease. You can eat oats to quit smoking. Mix 1 teaspoon of oats with 2 cups of boiling water and leave it overnight. The next morning, boil again for 10 minutes and continue to eat a little after each meal. This will get nicotine out of the body. With that, the desire to smoke will also decrease. Read Health benefits of Chamomile Tea Eat fruits and vegetables Under no circumstances should you refrain from healthy eating while quitting smoking. Instead, one should eat plenty of vegetables and fruits at this time. According to a study by Duke University, cigarettes start to taste bad when you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. So keep fruits and vegetables on the food list regularly. Try again and again If you are highly addicted to smoking, you may not stop it on the first try. Hence, there is no substitute for trying again and again to quit smoking. Set a time for yourself on how quickly you want to quit smoking. Proceed that way gradually step by step. Also read: IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy life