Tobacco.org

Stop exhibiting use of tobacco in films  

Speakers at a human chain yesterday demanded immediate steps to stop the use of tobacco in dramas, films and electronic media to prevent the youths of the country picking up the tobacco habit including smoking.

They also called upon the government to take initiatives to implement Tobacco Control Law to save the new generation of the country from wrong path and destroying their lives.

'Pratyasha' Anti Drug Club and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB Trust) jointly formed the human chain in front of Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University. . . .

The speakers said that the children, juveniles and youths watch drama and films and tend to follow the actors and actresses. So they can easily be habituated in the use of tobacco following them, they added.

'If the government does not stop the use of tobacco in the drama, films and electronic media, the aims and objectives of formulating the Tobacco Control Law will be frustrated,' they said.

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Govt urged to amend tobacco control laws  

Speakers at a workshop in Khulna city on Tuesday urged the government to immediately make amendments to tobacco control laws.

The existing tobacco control laws are not followed properly and even these laws are not enough to control tobacco and tobacco products, they said at the workshop.

Khulna Press Club and Rural Acting Arrangement Centre organised the workshop on ‘amendments to tobacco control laws’ at the auditorium of Press Club.

Chaired by press club president AK Hiru, the workshop was addressed, among others, by deputy civil surgeon Maqsuda Begum, senior journalist Shahabuddin Ahmed, press club general secretary Zakir Hossain, Shahidul Islam Babu of RAAC, Rezaul Karim of NGO Forum, journalist Shah Alam and Mamun Reza.

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ROY: Package warning: A good anti-tobacco tools  

Currently, under the Tobacco Control Act 2005 in Bangladesh, only written warnings on tobacco products are required to occupy 30 per cent of the main surfaces of the packets. Such warnings include "Smoking Kills" and "smoking Causes Lung Cancer". Under the FCTC (Framework Convention for Tobacco Control), pictorial warnings accompanied with written messages should account for 50 per cent (front and back) of the total packet of tobacco products.

Already, there has been tremendous progress in Bangladesh implementing legislation to mandate pictorial warnings. Seven countries including Thailand, Australia and Singapore require all tobacco containing products to convey health warning pictorial and message accounting for a minimum of 50 percent both side of the total packet.

Most of the story of tobacco control in Bangladesh is still unwritten and events continue to unfold. It remains to be seen whether the tobacco control movement will be sufficiently powerful and proactive to counter industry tactics and persuade the government to take strong measures to control tobacco. The tobacco industry is a mighty force in Bangladesh than elsewhere and it will be difficult to maintain a spotlight on tobacco in the face of so many competing causes of disease and ill health. But if the progress made over the past few years is any indication of the future, the many organizations and individuals working for tobacco control in Bangladesh have good reason to be optimistic. . . . we need to act now. This is the time to go ahead to save our future generation. And for that let us work together.

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Health Ministry offices to be made smoke-free zone  

All government, semi-government and autonomous organisations would be made smoking-free soon, while all departments under the Health Ministry will be tobacco-free from Sunday.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Health and Family Welfare and Social Welfare Ministry Professor Dr Syed Modasser Ali said this addressing as the chief guest at a policy dialogue titled "Show the truth. Picture Warnings Save Lives."

A non-government organisation organized the dialogue in cooperation with World Health Organization (WHO) here on Wednesday marking the 'World No Tobacco Day-2009'.

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Customs smokes out beedi smugglers 

A forwarding company's attempt to smuggle in 9.8 million beedi (a South Asian cigarette) by declaring their consignment as sweet potatoes was foiled by the Customs Department.

Its enforcement team arrested a man after discovering the undeclared beedi worth some RM1mil in two 20-foot long containers last Thursday at the Klang Container Terminal in North Port at about 11am following a tip-off.

Selangor Customs director Datuk Roslan Yusof told reporters that the beedi, believed to have been smuggled in from Bangladesh, were packed under three layers of potatoes.

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• Tobacco cultivation poses threat to environment in CHT 

Tobacco cultivation is posing a threat to the public health and the environment in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Although tobacco cultivation is strictly prohibited, the tobacco companies are doing brisk business, violating the rules. Besides, they motivate the farmers openly by offering incentives in cash and kind to cultivate tobacco.

At least 60 to 70 thousand metric tones of firewood are being burnt in 2,000 tobacco processing kilns every year, causing depletion of reserve and natural forests, threatening environment and ecology in the hills, environmentalists said.

They said tobacco cultivation leaves bad impact on the soil fertility and once tobacco is cultivated its difficult to grow other crops on the same land.

Some 7000 farmers are involved with the tobacco farming in the CHT

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Call to implement anti-tobacco law 

Speakers at a discussion yesterday called upon the government to take initiatives to implement the Anti-Tobacco Law properly and to develop the law to ensure for avoiding the weak points of the Law.

They also said that the Government has to increase the rate of tax on tobacco-produced goods to discourage people from the tobacco.

They said these at a discussion to mark the concluding ceremony of a day-long Anti-Tobacco Fair organised by Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance at Shilpakala Academy in the city.

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Tobacco is 2nd cause of deadly diseases 

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhul Haque yesterday said that Bangladesh loses about 2 million US Dollar in every year due to tobacco use.

He also said that the tobacco is the 2nd cause of deadly diseases in Bangladesh and a good number of people die every year due to diseases caused by tobacco addiction.

Tobacco consumption in the country is increasing day by day specially among the youths and poor peoples, he added.

He was addressing at an inaugural session of a workshop as chief guest at Hotel Sheraton in the capital.

South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) of World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health and Family Welfare Ministry jointly organised the workshop on 'Empower Policy Package for Strengthening Tobacco Control Efforts'

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EDITORIAL: For a strong anti-tobacco drive 

The government promulgated the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 declaring smoking at public places and public transports a punishable offence. Bangladesh was also the first country to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organisation in 2004. But there is no strict enforcement of the above Act. Taking advantage of this, some smokers smoke at public places. Side-stream smoke from a burning cigarette has higher concentration of poisonous substances than the main-stream smoke and is thus, more harmful for the passive smokers. While a complete ban on the use of tobacco will not suit to the present reality of demand and consumption certain corners of building and rooms at workplaces may be earmarked for smoking. Additional tax on the production and sale of tobacco products is likely to discourage the use of tobacco.

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Govt urged to amend tobacco control laws  

Speakers at a daylong seminar here on Sunday urged the government to make amendments to tobacco control laws.

They said the existing tobacco control laws are not effective in controlling tobacco and tobacco products and even not followed properly.

Noakhali District Information Office organized the seminar on "Tobacco Free Bangladesh" at the deputy commissioners' conference room.

With principal of Noakhali Govt College Nimai Chan Biswas in the chair, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Deputy Commissioner Abdul Haque as the chief guest.

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No enforcement of anti-smoking law in Barguna  

The Anti-tobacco law is yet to enforce in the district as general people as well as members of law enforcers smoke cigarette at public places without any care or fear.

In the initial stage when the Anti-smoking law was promulgated, those who used to smoke at public places stopped their old habit considering punishment under the law.

But with the passage of time, the smokers started the same practice everywhere, including in buses, tempos and launches, as there was no implementation of the law anywhere in the district.

Smoking was banned at academic institutions, offices, courts, cinema halls premises, etc under the law

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Tobacco cultivation shows no sign of abating  

Tobacco cultivation shows no sign of abating in Nilphamari.

Sources said, though the government is not encouraging the farmers to cultivate tobacco any more rather it is discouraging the farmers across the country to decrease it the farmers are not paying heed to it.

Although the real quantity of lands on which tobacco is being cultivated in Nilphamari district for the last several years could not be known for lack of information by the Agriculture Extension Department (AED) tobacco is being cultivated on more than 10 per cent arable land in the district.

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57,000 die for using tobacco every year  

About 57,000 people die for using tobacco every year in the country, while 3.62 lakh become infected.

National Professor Dr MR Khan yesterday informed this while inaugurating a eight-day workshop on 'Training of NGO watchdogs to prevent violation of tobacco control law' in the city.

He said joint efforts between the government and the non-government organisations (NGOs) is necessary to speed up the tobacco control movement.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) organised the workshop in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its auditorium in the city.

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Sustainable control of tobacco use stressed 

Discussants at an advocacy meeting here today underscored the need for sustainable control of tobacco use for building a sound environment as well as a healthy nation.

They also underlined the need for a collective effort of all concerned to undertake effective measures to control use of tobacco and unequivocally said, the 'smoking and use of narcotics control law' must be enforced strictly.

Local unit of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) with financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Bangladesh arranged the meeting styled "Tobacco Control Activities: Our Responsibility" at Safawang Community Center.

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• Impose tax on tobacco to ward off smokers  

It is essential to control smoking and tobacco-made products by increasing prices of tobacco- made products and imposing taxes. If the prices of these goods are very high, the rate of smokers decrease and cost for maintaining public health and control over tobacco-borne diseases may become easier'.

Saifuddin Ahmed, Moderator of Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance made the above remarks on Saturday while addressing the inauguration programme titled 'Tobacco and Taxation in Bangladesh' organised by 'Work for a Better Bangladesh, Trust' (WBBT). The Development Researcher, Taifur Rahman addressed the meeting as keynote speaker and the Senior Project Officer of WBB Trust, Aminul Islam moderated the function.

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