Govt launches anti-tobacco campaign

The National Tobacco Control Cell of the Health Services Division has launched an eight months long strategic communication campaign to make people aware about the harms of smoking, second-hand smoking and the amendment of tobacco control law as well.

This campaign started with the public service announcement (PSA) titled "What Damage Will This Cigarette/Bidi Do" on 1 November, reads a press release. 

Global public health organisation, the Vital Strategies provided technical support for the development and implementation of this campaign.

The government will run this campaign on BTV under the revenue budget, while Vital Strategies will supplement this campaign by employing various digital platforms of Stop Tobacco Bangladesh (STB) (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and its website) to reach out maximum audience. 

This video spot reminds smokers to think about each Cigarette or Bidi before he smokes that opens the gateway to many potential harmful consequences: heart attacks, cancer, lung disease, and more. 

By highlighting tobacco's links to stroke, throat cancer, lung cancer, COPD and heart disease, the leading causes of death among tobacco users globally, the campaign calls for action for quitting tobacco.

From 1 January to 28 February 2024, another PSA 'they win, we lose' will be beaming on BTV. 

This will show that the tobacco industry continues their profit by promoting and selling their deadly products while people lose their loved ones due to smoking and tobacco use.

The third PSA '100% smoke free public places' will be on-air from 1 March to 30 April 2024. This PSA will make people aware about the harmful effect of smoking in public places, such as restaurants. This PSA also call on action for policymakers, parliamentarians, and stakeholders to take steps in removing the provision for Designated Smoking Area (DSA) from the remaining public places to save non-smokers, women, and children from the health harms of exposure to tobacco smoke known as Second Hand Smoking (SHS).

The fourth PSA titled 'Harms of second-hand smoking' will be on-air from 1 May to 30 June 2024. This PSA highlights the harms of second-hand smoke as well as the effects of smoking.  It is noted that these PSA were adopted for Bangladesh; those were developed by the Vital Strategies with the message testing study and on-aired in other countries.

It is well established that tobacco harms the health, economy, and development of Bangladesh. Every year, about 161,200 people are killed by tobacco-caused diseases, such as lung cancer, stroke, heart attack and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). These diseases can also happen among non-smokers for exposure to SHS. Due to SHS, premature or stillbirth and asthma and chronic respiratory problems or sudden infant death may happen.

Shafiqul Islam, Head of Programs – Bangladesh at the Vital Strategies stated that, this campaign will be instrumental to enhancing public knowledge on harms of tobacco use and smoking, as well as Second Hand Smoking. Hard-hitting messages were used in these campaigns to sensitize the smoker, tobacco users and their loved ones. He has also mentioned that well established scientific information is being used to encourage people to quit tobacco and ensure a smoke free environment at the public places and restaurants. The campaign will also be supported by Social Media activity on the Stop tobacco Bangladesh Page on Facebook and the corresponding YouTube channel to highlight the campaign messages about 100% smoke free public places.