ZCZC
BSS-44
WORLD-NO-TOBACCO-DAY
World No Tobacco Day tomorrow
DHAKA, June 16, 2021 (BSS)- The World No Tobacco Day will be observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the globe tomorrow with the theme ‘Commit to quit’.
On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate messages advising all to raise awareness about the negative impacts of the tobacco use.
In his message, the President welcomed the initiative to celebrate ‘World No Tobacco Day-2021’ in Bangladesh like other countries in the world.
Advising all to quit tobacco, he said emotional strength is very important in quitting tobacco.
The theme for this year’s Day, set by the World Health Organization, ‘Commit to quit’ is very reasonable and time befitting, he added.
The use of tobacco products is one of the obstacles to public health and development, Hamid said, adding that tobacco use and smoking increase the risk of various non-communicable diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and asthma.
Tobacco-related diseases kill more than 80 lakh people in the world and more than 161,000 people in Bangladesh every year, the head of the state informed.
In addition, smoking is called the entrance to drug use, he said, adding that through tobacco use and smoking, the younger generation becomes addicted to drugs and becomes a burden to the family and the state.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message, said that the World Health Organization (WHO) has enacted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to reduce the use of tobacco products identifying it as a global epidemic.
The Premier added that in the light of FCTC, the ‘Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) Act 2005’ has been amended in 2013 and the ‘Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) Rules’ has been issued in 2015.
To ensure funding for tobacco control activities, the government has imposed one percent surcharge on all types of tobacco products from the 2014-15 financial year and has formulated a ‘Health Development Surcharge Management Policy’ in 2017, she said.
As a result, the way has been paved for the implementation of tobacco control activities with the government’s own funding, she added.
The United Nations has formulated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including effective implementation of the FCTC and non-communicable disease control as the body thinks that tobacco is a threat to development, she continued.
“The government is committed to achieving the goals of SDGs. To that end, my government has included the issue of tobacco control in the 7th and 8th Five Year Plans,” she said.
After all, at the South Asian Speakers Summit 2016, it was announced that Bangladesh will be tobacco free by 2040, she added.
To keep the people healthy and efficient, both the President and the Premier asked all to refrain from smoking and tobacco.
Highlighting government’s steps against drug addiction, they also said that the government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against drugs.
They both wished all the programmes taken for the day a success.
BSS/PR/SRH/KU/1916 HRS