150 doctors call for increasing prices, taxes on tobacco products
Prominent cancer specialists, along with the 150 doctors from Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital, have urged the government to strengthen tobacco control laws and increase taxes on tobacco products for the sake of public health.
In a joint statement, they said tobacco use is linked to various health risks, including cancer, heart attacks, strokes, respiratory problems, and digestive issues, along with other physical complications.
Despite awareness of these risks, a significant portion of the adult population in Bangladesh continues to use tobacco products, said the doctors.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Citing The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) report, the statement said approximately 35.3% of adults in Bangladesh use tobacco products, with nearly 38.4 million adults being exposed to secondhand smoke in various public places, workplaces, and public transportation.
According to the recent data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, in the last five years (2019-2023), the per capita income of Bangladesh increased by $643 dollars to $2, 765. However, most of the cigarette prices have either remained almost unchanged or increased slightly.
They demanded that single stick sales of Bidi-cigarettes should be banned by law.
They opined that it is urgent to increase the price of tobacco products by making the tobacco control law stronger and increasing taxes effectively to discourage smokers from using tobacco products.
The doctors also said there is no alternative to reforming the existing tax structure of tobacco products to make the Hon'ble Prime Minister's promise of 'tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040' a reality.
The signatories of the statement include notable experts such as Professor Dr MA Hai, director of Bangladesh Cancer Society Hospital and Welfare Home; Professor Dr Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, president of Bangladesh Cancer Society; Professor Dr Syed Akram Hossain, senior consultant of Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy at Square Hospital; and Professor Dr AMM Shariful Alam, senior consultant and department head of Clinical Oncology at Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital.
