United News of Bangladesh

Anti-tobacco campaigners on Tuesday called for an immediate ban on nicotine pouches in Bangladesh, expressing concern over a move by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) to formulate standards for the product, which they say could pave the way for its introduction into the local market. The BSTI has recently initiated a process to formulate standards for nicotine pouches, a product considered harmful to public health, PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) said in a press release. It has undertaken this initiative by forming a Tobacco and Tobacco Products Technical Committee, which does not include representatives from the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) and tobacco control organisations, they said, adding that the committee, however, includes representatives of tobacco companies. PROGGA and ATMA expressed alarm, saying the involvement of tobacco companies in such a committee violates Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). They urged the government to impose a complete ban on nicotine pouches. Nicotine pouches pose a serious threat to public health. Although tobacco companies promote these products as “relatively less harmful,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has clearly warned that, despite containing no tobacco leaf, nicotine pouches deliver high levels of nicotine. This highly addictive substance can impair brain development in children and adolescents and increase the risks of cardiovascular disease and other health complications. According to the WHO, adolescents and young adults are emerging as the largest consumers of these emerging tobacco products worldwide. To protect public health and prevent nicotine addiction among young people, at least 16 countries, including Singapore, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Russia, have already imposed a complete ban on nicotine pouches, according to the press release. Commenting on the issue, PROGGA Executive Director ABM Zubair said, “Although the Ministry of Health had proposed a ban on nicotine pouches, it was not incorporated into the amended tobacco control law. Efforts are now underway to introduce and market the product in Bangladesh. Bangladesh should follow the example of other countries and impose a complete ban on nicotine pouches.” According to PROGGA and ATMA, the initiative of a government institution to formulate a national standard for nicotine pouches is fundamentally inconsistent with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s declared “commitment to protecting future generations, including children and adolescents, from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine.”

ADHUNIK, the first anti-tobacco organization in Bangladesh that encourages smokers to quit for good, has said the government should enlist tobacco as a dangerous addictive drug in the country.   "ADHUNIK will strengthen its campaign in demanding tobacco control and gradually push for a complete ban on tobacco products," said its president Amanullah Khan.   Speaking at a recent webinar, he said the World Health Organization (WHO) enlisted tobacco as an addictive drug way back in 1987.  Also read: Tobacco products to become more affordable: Anti-tobacco platforms "We’ve continuously pressed forward our demand to the Narcotics Control Department of our country to do the same in Bangladesh, but to no avail,“ he said, adding that it is vital to let the government know how much it is important.   Amanullah Khan also stressed the need for making tobacco products pricier through increased taxation.   ADHUNIK (Amra Dhumpan Nibaron Kori) hosted the webinar titled "World No Tobacco Day: Pledge to Quit Tobacco Today” supported by Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Ltd.   At the event, Amanullah Khan also paid homage to ADHUNIK’s founder President National Professor Dr Nurul Islam, calling him as a ‘Dedicated Tobacco Warrior’.   Launched in 1987, ADHUNIK won WHO awards thrice -- in 1992, 1992 and 2005 (Special Award of WHO Director General) — in recognition of its remarkable role in creating a supportive environment for smokers to give up.    "We may lose the battle, but we’ll win the war,” said the current ADHUNIK president citing Prof Dr. Nurul Islam as a great hero on the war against tobacco.   Khan said tobacco business empires are widening their horizons every day and their lobby is very strong, giving their business a stronger footing.   He said the government should take tougher initiatives to control tobacco products to live up to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s pledge for creating a smoking-free Bangladesh by 2040.   President of Coalition Against Tobacco Tracks and Terrorism (CATT) Ali Neyamat also spoke on the occasion.   Also read: Experts frustrated at NBR's role as calls for specific taxes on tobacco go unheeded Vice Chancellor of Chattogram Medical College Prof Dr Md Ismail Khan spoke at the webinar as the chief guest, while Prof Abu Taher, Member of the University Grant Commission (UGC), and Prof Eng Fayyaz Khan, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT), Dhaka, were present as special guests.   A I Islam, Chairman, BOT, USTC and General Secretary, ADHUNIK, was the main speaker of the virtual event moderated by ADHUNIK Executive Secretary Abdul Jabber.   Dr Ismail Khan said tobacco is one of the most addictive products and the government should immediately enact stricter laws for controlling tobacco.   “Besides, passive smoking is also very harmful. No one has the right to actively harm others. So, authorities should have zero tolerance towards smoking,” he added.   Prof Abu Taher said the anti-tobacco laws in Bangladesh are not enforced properly. "The situation should change.” Prof Harun-Ur-Rashid, Chairman Kidney Foundation, Dhaka, Prof Hasina Banoo, Senior Vice-President of ADHUNIK, Prof SM Mostafa Kamal, Organising Secretary, Bangladesh Cardiac Society, Prof Dr Prabir Kumar Das, Head, Department of Cardiology, CMCH, Chattogram, Prof AMM Ehtesamul Hoq, Principal, IAHS, and Associate Professor Dr Neena Islam, Social Welfare Secretary of ADHUNIK, joined the webinar as panelists. Tobacco products to ‘become more affordable’ On Thursday, two anti-tobacco platforms -- PROGGA and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) -- claimed that tobacco products will become more affordable in the upcoming fiscal year (2021-2022).   The proposed budget has kept the prices unchanged for low-tier cigarettes which constitute around 72 percent of the cigarette market.   The per capita income of the country, however, saw a 9 percent increase since last fiscal year, they said.   The proposed budget, if implemented, will considerably reduce the real prices of cigarettes and encourage the poor and the youth demographic to get hooked on the deadly addiction to smoking.   The same goes for bidi and smokeless tobacco (jarda and gul) where the taxes and prices have also been kept unchanged. This will put the low-income people, particularly women, at greater health risks.   Also read: Doctors for raising tobacco tax to protect public health If the proposed budget is finally passed, tobacco companies will be the only beneficiaries while the government will lose the opportunities of revenue earning, they said.   Such a budget will only encourage tobacco business and ignore hundreds of thousands of deaths, impairment, massive socioeconomic and environmental damage this industry causes, they said.   The proposed budget has kept the prices of and taxes on low and medium categories of cigarettes unchanged. The prices for 10 sticks of high- and premium-tier cigarettes have been increased by only BDT 5 (5.2 percent hike) and BDT 7 (5.5 percent hike), setting the prices at Tk 102 and 135 respectively.