Proposals to ban retail Tobacco Products and TI interference

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 made the call and expressed their opinion in an online discussion held on 29 August 2022 organized by MANAS.

Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, additional secretary (world health) of Health Ministry; Prof Dr Arup Ratan Choudhury, founder president of MANAS; and Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam, technical adviser at The Union; spoke as honorable guest speaker at the event. Md Abu Rayhan, project officer of MANAS; moderated the event.

Speakers added 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. 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.