Journal Article Details
Welcome to Tobacco Control and Research Cell (TCRC), DIU.
Why banning the Sale of E-cigarettes and HTPs in Bangladesh
Background
Total population of Bangladesh is 168.07 million; this makes Bangladesh the 8th most populous country in the world. That’s why tobacco industry is targeting this country. Currently 37.8 million peoples are using tobacco in Bangladesh. Among young adults 18-24 years of age, e-cigarette use got more than doubled from 2013 to 2014 in USA. As of 2014, more than one-third of young adults had tried e-cigarettes at least once. In Bangladesh, youth of 15- 24 years age group constitute 19.36% of the population, where the people of 25-54 years constitute 39.73%. Bangladesh has a huge young population and the marketing strategy of e-cigarettes specially targets the youth. World Health Organization (WHO) in its 2019 report on the global tobacco epidemic, states there is “insufficient independent evidence to support the use of [e-cigarettes] as a population-level tobacco cessation intervention to help people quit conventional tobacco use,’ and notes these products are ‘undoubtedly harmful’.” The same report concludes that many of the harmful chemicals generated by Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are similar to those generated by conventional cigarettes (even if generally at lower levels) and that the evidence does not show these products will reduce tobacco-related diseases by any means.
Bangladesh Context
There was no legal order or instruction regarding import of e-cigarettes in Bangladesh before 2018, but under the Bangladesh Government Gazettes 2018 (edited), Law number 22, Heading No 38.24, H.S. Code 3824.99.40 included the import list: Description of Goods: Refill for Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), and Heading No 85.43, H.S. Code 8543.70.50, Description of Goods : Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS).
Prevalence
E-Cigarettes using status is very low in Bangladesh till now, but international experience and aggressive marketing both are alarming for us in the true sense. Current user of electronic cigarettes in Bangladesh is 0.2 %. Overall 66.2 % adults (including men and women) tobacco users are thinking of quitting. Those who are trying to quit tobacco consumption, tobacco industry is trying to convert or motivate them to use electronic cigarettes.