'Enact tougher anti-tobacco law'
The government should enact a harsher tobacco control law to cut its consumption and protect people from tobacco-related diseases, say anti-tobacco campaigners.
They alleged that tobacco companies in the country have been violating the existing Tobacco Control Law 2005 in many ways through new tactics.
“They (the companies) have to be brought under the law to check their illegal tobacco trade”, said Taifur Rahman, advocacy and media coordinator (Bangladesh) of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK). He suggested rewriting the existing tobacco control law to make it more stringent and effective so that nobody can violate it.
Describing the limitation in the existing law, President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Kazi Rafiqul Alam said it does not consider Sadapata, Gul, Jarda, and Khaini as tobacco products. “So, no legal step is applicable to these tobacco products. Among the grown-ups, over 27 percent people consume smokeless tobacco. Therefore, it's very essential to identify the smokeless tobacco as tobacco products”.
Meanwhile, anti-tobacco activists raised their voice for amendment to Tobacco Control Law-2005 in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
In response to the demand of the anti-tobacco activists, the government has taken a step to amend the existing Tobacco Control Law 2005. A draft law has been formulated and now it is in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Official sources said the ministry has finalised the amendment proposals that will be placed before the cabinet soon for its endorsement.
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