Fahmida Islam
\31 May is World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). This year’s theme ‘Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products’ focuses on uncovering how tobacco and nicotine companies deliberately design their harmful products appealing, especially to young people. Although global tobacco control has made notable progress, the tobacco and nicotine industries persist in evolving their tactics to attract and retain users. These strategies not only threaten public health but also disproportionately target vulnerable populations, especially young people.
Each year, tobacco use kills 8.7 million people worldwide, while millions more suffer its serious health and financial consequences despite being entirely preventable. Tobacco use is especially harmful to young people and is on the rise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most users start in their teens or early adulthood, leading to long-term addiction and increased risk of diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The CDC reports that over 90% of adult smokers began before age 18. Tobacco also harms mental health, contributing to anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. These findings show that tobacco endangers both the physical and mental well-being of youth and their futures.
The tobacco industry is increasingly deploying deceptive strategies to hook the youth of Bangladesh, raising public health concerns as addiction rates rise and new nicotine products gain popularity. With nearly 46 million people aged 15–29, accounting for 27.82% of the national population, Bangladesh has become a prime target for the tobacco industry's expansion tactics.
From glamorized marketing campaigns to campus-level engagement and social media influence, tobacco companies are reshaping their approach to lure a younger generation into nicotine dependence.
Manipulative youth engagement programmes
One of the industry's most prominent schemes is the Battle of Minds (BoM) competition, organized by British American Tobacco (BAT) since 2004. Although it is marketed as a prestigious internship opportunity, the program reportedly recruits only a few participants despite mass youth engagement events and on-campus promotions. Critics argue that these events violate tobacco control laws by indirectly promoting tobacco brands.
Similarly, BAT’s Xceed campus ambassador program operates across 15 leading universities, allowing student ambassadors to promote BAT's corporate image and, by extension, its products. These initiatives have been criticized for leveraging peer influence to introduce tobacco-related messaging in academic spaces.
Exploitation of smoking zones and restaurants
Another alarming trend is the proliferation of Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) in restaurants, even in smaller establishments across Dhaka. Tobacco companies have allegedly capitalized on legal loopholes to collaborate with restaurant owners, turning DSAs into promotional spaces, particularly near educational institutions.
These areas are becoming popular youth hangouts, where smoking, including among young women, is reportedly increasing at an unprecedented rate.Vape festivals and digital influence
The introduction of vaping festivals in Dhaka, heavily promoted on social media platforms, illustrates the industry's shift toward promoting e-cigarettes. These events, featuring entertainment and influencer endorsements, are designed to appeal to young audiences. Studies reveal that most Bangladeshi students are introduced to e-cigarettes through ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Tobacco in entertainment media
The tobacco industry has also found fertile ground in OTT (over-the-top) streaming platforms, which are widely popular among youth. Smoking scenes are frequently embedded in emotional or stylized contexts in online content, subtly normalizing tobacco use and glamorizing addiction.
Concert Sponsorships and Free Distribution
Tobacco companies have also sponsored large-scale music concerts, often under the guise of youth initiatives or corporate mottos. Reports indicate the provision of smoking zones and even free cigarette distribution during these events—tactics that directly target young concertgoers.
Health experts and anti-tobacco advocates are calling for stronger regulatory measures and public awareness campaigns to counter these manipulative tactics. They urge the government to enforce stricter tobacco control laws, ban indirect advertising, and safeguard youth from the industry’s exploitative strategies.
To protect the well-being of future generations, this is high time to act religiously.
Bangladesh must prioritize stricter regulation of tobacco marketing, close legal loopholes, and promote education about the health risks associated with tobacco and nicotine products usage.
The path toward a tobacco-free Bangladesh depends on collective vigilance and urgent policy reform.
Fahmida Islam, a Tobacco Control Activist, Dhaka, Bangladesh
