Adopting practical measures to lessen the harm caused by tobacco has helped a number of nations, including New Zealand, achieve success. Bangladesh still does not have such strategies or policies, though. As a result, tobacco poses a serious health risk despite stringent prohibitions since it lacks endorsements. In order to get out of this predicament, a tobacco harm reduction policy that works and is appropriate for a nation like Bangladesh, where the regulations now in place have not been properly applied, must be developed.
These statements were made by speakers at the “Policy for Progress: Towards Harm Reduction 2.0” event in Dhaka today, Monday, October 13. The Bangladesh Harm Reduction Foundation and Policy Exchange Bangladesh collaborated to host the conference at Hotel Renaissance.
In the discussion, Dr. Delon Human, former Secretary-General of the World Medical Association, said that New Zealand successfully reduced smoking by adopting evidence-based and scientific strategies. By officially recognizing alternatives like vaping, they provided smokers with a realistic path to quitting. As a result, within just a few years, the country’s smoking rate dropped by nearly 50%.
Citing data from a recently published research report titled ‘Tale of Two Nations: Bangladesh vs. New Zealand’, Dr. Human noted that in 2015, the adult smoking rate in New Zealand was 13.3%, which has now decreased to 6.9%. In contrast, Bangladesh’s smoking rate among adults has only declined from 23% to 17% over the same period. The key reason for this difference is that New Zealand has a harm reduction policy integrated into the system– Bangladesh does not.
Dr. Md. Shariful Islam Dulu, Founder Trustee and Chairman of the Bangladesh Harm Reduction Foundation, and the co-author of “Tale of Two Nations”, stated that New Zealand’s success in reducing smoking rates lies in its pragmatic approach and inclusion of harm reduction strategies in tobacco control. By formally endorsing alternatives like vaping, the country has developed effective policies to help smokers quit. On the other hand, despite scientific evidence, Bangladesh does not practice harm reduction strategies. Instead, impractical restrictions like the recent import ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) is complicating the situation further by paving way for illicit trade resulting into the government losing revenue and consumers being deprived of an alternative choice.
He highlighted that the smoking rate among adult males in Bangladesh is 34.1%— four times higher than in New Zealand. Every year, nearly 130,000 people die in Bangladesh due to tobacco-related diseases, accounting for 21.9% of all deaths in the country.
Joining the seminar virtually, Timothy Andrews, Director of Consumer Issues, THOLOS Foundation, stressed the importance of proper regulation of alternative tobacco products and adopting relevant policies. He stated that bans and harsh restrictions are not effective solutions for tobacco control – something that has been repeatedly proven in many countries such as Brazil – highlighted in their latest research titled “Prohibition does not work”. Realistic policies and proper regulatory frameworks are the way forward.
Healso cited Sweden’s experience, noting that over the past three decades, many people in the country have switched from smoking to using snus, a smokeless oral tobacco product. Since snus is less harmful than cigarettes and relatively affordable, Sweden has also imposed lower taxes on it. As a result, the rates of smoking-related deaths and illnesses in Sweden have significantly decreased.
Schumann Zaman, President of the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BENDSTA), stated that although vaping is widely accepted as an effective alternative to smoking in many countries, its import is banned in Bangladesh. However despite this, smugglers continue to bring vapes into the country illegally, and these products are being sold across Dhaka and other regions. This not only causes a significant loss of government revenue but also prevents quality control due to the lack of regulation. Therefore, instead of allowing the illicit market to expand, a policy should be introduced to allow legal import and sale of vapes. This could help reduce smoking rates in Bangladesh as well and also support the livelihoods of many involved.
In the closing remarks, Hasnat Alam, Economist & Senior Manager of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, summarized the key recommendations emerging from the seminar. He said that it is essential to adopt harm reduction strategies and formulate a separate comprehensive policy addressing this issue, rather than banning THR products which have adverse effects on market and quality control. Such a policy could play a vital role in transitioning to less harmful products and ultimately reduce the number of adult smokers and the associated health risks. Bangladesh needs to adopt tailored and forward-looking policies such as promoting THR products with adult-centric flavors to deter under-age use, and supporting those with a circular model to reduce adverse impact on the environment.
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