50pc pictorial warning on tobacco packs urged

1 October 2011, 18:00 PM

Bss, Dhaka

Anti-tobacco campaigners yesterday urged the government to amend the tobacco control act by incorporating a provision of 50 percent pictorial warning at all types of tobacco products, including Bidi and cigarette, for reducing consumption of tobacco. Pictorial warning with harmful and dreadful effects of tobacco will decrease tobacco consumption significantly, they told a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) ahead of a three-day programme, which begins today, on pictorial warning at tobacco packs. Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) in association with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) organised the press conference. CAB President Kazi Faruque, general secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, Founder President of Association for the Preventing of Drug Abuse (MANAS) Prof Dr Arup Ratan Chodhury and media and advocacy coordinator of CTFK Taifur Rahman, among others, addressed the event. Faruque said a total of 43 countries, including India, Pakistan and Thailand, are enjoying benefit of introducing pictorial warning at tobacco packs, saying it is urgently needed to include a provision at the tobacco control law for reducing consumption of tobacco. Referring to a research on tobacco, he said 97 percent smokers think that they will be encouraged to give up smoking, if the pictorial warning messages are given at the tobacco packages.