Experts on public health and tobacco control have called for stopping the sale of single stick of bidi and cigarette in the interest of protecting the health of poor people.
They said that single stick cigarette and bidi are more affordable to youths and poor people. If the sale is stopped, it will play a vital role in reducing tobacco purchases among the poor and teenagers in the country. As a result, it will be possible to prevent them from smoking and drugs, they added.
Besides, many existing tobacco users will also be discouraged. The effectiveness of graphic health warnings used in anti-tobacco awareness will also increase as well as stop tobacco smuggling, said the experts.
They made the call and expressed their opinion in an online discussion held on Monday (August 29), organised by MANAS (Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse).
Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, additional secretary (world health) of Health Ministry; Prof Dr Arup Ratan Choudhury, founder president of MANAS; and Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, technical adviser at The Union; spoke on the occasion, among others. Md Abu Rayhan, project officer of MANAS; moderated the event.
Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, “We are working for tobacco-free Bangladesh. A strong legal basis is needed to accelerate the anti-tobacco movement. For this reason, the move to update the tobacco control law is underway.
The proposal to ban the sale of single stick of cigarette has been included in the draft.”
Dr Arup Ratan Choudhury said that banning the sale of single of stick of cigarette would increase the benefits of graphic health warning on the packets of tobacco products and encourage people to quit smoking.
Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin said that consumption of bidi-cigarettes is not entertainment for the poor and low-income people, but a death trap.
The expert on public health and tobacco control stressed the importance of stopping smoking in dramas and movies to divert the youth from harmful addiction.
