Demand for guidelines to stop smoking and drug use on OTT
A study conducted by MANAS found that 46 out of 60 dramas and movies contained scenes of smoking and drug use. Currently, more scenes of smoking and drug use are being shown in dramas and movies than drinking water. Smoking and drug use scenes in dramas, movies, and web series by popular stars are encouraging children, teenagers, and young people to smoke and use drugs. Lawyers and public health development workers have demanded action against individuals and organizations violating the Smoking and Tobacco Control Act and the National Broadcasting Policy and the formulation of a separate guideline for OTT platforms.
Experts made these comments at the online discussion meeting on “Implementation of Tobacco Control Act in Dramas and Movies and the Need for Guidelines for OTT” on February 20, 2025. The founding president of ‘MANAS’, freedom fighter Professor Dr. ArupRatan Choudhury, public health expert and policy analyst Advocate. Syed Mahbubul Alam, Advocate of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court Md. Moniruzzaman, Barrister Nishat Mahmud, Project Director of Aid Foundation Shagufta Sultana, Project Director of Tobacco Control and Research Cell Md. Bazlur Rahman, Technical Advisor of Vital Strategies Fahmida Islam, Project Manager of Economic Research Bureau of Dhaka University Hamidul Islam Hillol, Senior Project Officer of WBB Trust Samiul Hasan Shajib and IUBAT University student Zakia Sultana, DIU student Nazneen Sultana, among others. The keynote address was presented by Umme Jannat, Tobacco Control Project Coordinator of MANAS. The meeting was moderated by MANAS Senior Project and Communication Officer Md. Abu Rayhan.
Highlighting the results of the research conducted by MANAS, Umme Jannat said, out of 60 dramas and movies aired on OTT platforms, 46 violated the tobacco control law. The highest number of smoking scenes were shown by the hero (33), the heroine (19), the villain (12), and other supporting characters (21). The study selected 5 popular OTT platforms and observed 60 dramas and movies. Of these, 6 dramas and 40 movies violated the tobacco control law. The most tobacco and drug use scenes were found in movies aired on Netflix.
The speakers also said that a class of people are leading our teenagers towards destruction. Once, society and family were given priority in the production and promotion of movies and dramas, but now they have become individual-centered. Currently, especially on OTT platforms, unwanted smoking scenes by celebrities are encouraging our youth to smoke and consume harmful drugs. It is necessary to formulate an existing policy to protect them and incorporate it into the Tobacco Control Law.
