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Tobacco control must to save youths: Speaker


Published : 21 Apr 2022 09:51 PM

Smoking among young people has been on the rise in recent times, posing a threat to the country's public health. 

Therefore, in addition to raising public awareness against the harmful effects of tobacco products, the existing tobacco control laws must be amended and appropriate tobacco laws must be enforced. 

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury made the remarks while talking to the representatives of 'Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing' at her office on Thursday.

She said, “The government is taking various measures to prevent non-communicable diseases. But these initiatives will fail if tobacco and tobacco products are not controlled. The use of tobacco products including smoking is increasing among the youth in the country.”

“To protect them, tobacco must be controlled. For this we have to take initiative from now. We need to increase public awareness among all. In addition to strengthening the tobacco control law by amending it, it is also important to implement it in practice,” she mentioned.

The use of e-cigarettes is also increasing in the country, she said, adding that the ingredients in these new products are just as harmful as cigarettes. In order to implement a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, we have to get out of all this, she mentioned.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Forum Prof Dr Habibe Millat presented to the Speaker the various initiatives of the Members of Parliament on tobacco control. 

Shirin Akhtar MP, Rana Mohammad Sohail MP, Advocate Syeda Rubina Akhter MP and Aparajita MP were also present on the occasion.