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Bangladesh is close to imposing a total ban on nicotine vapes, which have helped tens of millions of people around the world quit smoking. The planned ban reportedly also includes oral nicotine pouches, another important harm reduction alternative in South Asia. If confirmed, it will be another major blow to harm reduction, when several Asian governments have enacted similar prohibitions. With almost 170 million people, Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world. And it’s a major tobacco consumer. A national smoking rate of over 20 percent—often traditional bidi, as well as cigarettes—contains a large gender split. [...]
A group of international tobacco harm reduction advocates has asked Bangladesh authorities to reconsider its proposed prohibition of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other smokefree nicotine alternatives in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Health.
The Cabinet is likely to approve the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2013 this month, which proposes a complete ban on the manufacturing, import and sale of e-cigarettes, with a provision of imprisonment of a maximum of six months, a fine or both. Later, it will be placed in Parliament for passage into law. The prime minister has already instructed the Health Ministry to amend the law, to make it more in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and compatible with the vision of building a tobacco-free country by 2040.
The government is considering banning vaping, a trendy alternative to cigarette smoking among youngsters, and related products.
According to a draft law, the government is also considering raising the monetary penalty for smoking and using tobacco products in public places more than six times the existing one and banning mobile sales of cigarettes and tobacco products.
To that effect, a cabinet division committee led by an additional secretary recently forwarded a 10-point review to the Health Services Division, reports bdnews24.com.
Local non-governmental organisation the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor on Wednesday urged the government to pass the draft amendment of tobacco control act and ban all types of electronic cigarettes at the earliest to make the country tobacco-free by 2040.
"Tobacco companies are spreading rumours against the amendment of tobacco control act. We request the government to revise the act without any delay," Deputy Executive Director of the organisation Mohammad Zobayer Hasan said at a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital.
More than 161,000 people in the country die every year due to tobacco use or smoking, increasing the risk of lung cancer by 20 to 30 per cent.
Second-hand smoking increases the risk of heart disease in non-smokers by 25-30 per cent. [...] The minister said that the government is working to build a 'tobacco-free Bangladesh' by 2040.
"Therefore, public places and transport should be made 100 per cent smoke free. Educational institutions should ensure that students do not smoke. Tobacco should be socially boycotted as it is poison," he added.
To make tobacco-free Bangladesh as per the commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the law structure needs to be strengthened, and the factors that are encouraging public need to be prohibited, said speakers at a discussion Wednesday.
They also noted that Designated Smoking Areas (DSA), displaying smoking scenes in movies on condition, and CSR by tobacco companies must be outlawed. [...] Dr Atiur Rahman highlighted that policymakers have not only played a notable role in reducing tobacco consumption in Bangladesh and the citizens but also provided significant support to anti-tobacco movements.
Bangladesh must keep e-cigarettes legal if it wants to achieve its goal of becoming a tobacco-free country by 2040, according to tobacco harm reduction activists.
Speaking during a webinar organized by the Bangladesh-based Voices of Vapers and reported by The Daily Star, several experts addressed the government’s recent proposal to ban vapor products, heat-not-burn devices and other cigarette alternatives in a new amendment to the country’s tobacco control legislation.
Delon Human, president of Health Diplomats, said there is no evidence for the National Tobacco Control Cell’s statement that nicotine in vapes is more harmful than cigarettes.
A group of international tobacco harm reduction advocates has asked Bangladesh authorities to reconsider its proposed prohibition of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other smokefree nicotine alternatives in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Health.
The letter states that smoke-free nicotine products have the potential to drive out smoking, and urges the Bangladesh government to prohibit less harmful alternatives to cigarettes. reads a press release.
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