Strict tobacco laws to raise revenue

The uncontrolled use of tobacco and tobacco products at all levels in countries including Bangladesh has been identified as one of the leading causes of public health and economic damage. In Bangladesh alone, an average of 442 people lose their lives every day due to direct and indirect use of tobacco products. In addition, countless people are suffering from non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and lung-related illnesses, which are placing almost double the financial burden on the healthcare sector. A study conducted by the World Bank and the Bangladesh Cancer Society has shown that the healthcare costs and productivity losses caused by diseases related to tobacco consumption result in an annual economic loss of approximately 30,570 crore Taka in Bangladesh. To ensure the health security of the country's people and avoid economic losses, it is essential to immediately amend the existing "Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2013)" in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). If the proposed amendments to this law are passed, the weaknesses of the current tobacco control law will be addressed, bringing Bangladesh's tobacco control law up to global standards.

In order to align the existing tobacco control law with the FCTC, the draft prepared by the Ministry of Health includes several important proposals. These include the abolition of designated smoking areas in all public places and public transportation to protect non-smokers, banning the display of tobacco products at points of sales to stop tobacco product promotion, prohibiting tobacco companies' corporate social responsibility activities, banning the import, production, use, and marketing of e-cigarettes or emerging heated tobacco products, closing all types of retail and open sales of tobacco products, and increasing the pictorial health warning from 50 per cent to 90 per cent of the package size.

However, while it is urgent to pass this amended tobacco control law to protect public health, tobacco companies are attempting to obstruct its passage with various false claims. They argue that strengthening the tobacco control law will reduce government revenue, but this argument is entirely unreasonable. According to the revenue data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), when the tobacco control law was passed in Bangladesh in 2005, the revenue from tobacco that year was 2,888 crore Taka. In the following year (2005-06), the revenue collected increased to 3,351 crore Taka. When the law was amended in 2013, the revenue from tobacco in that year was 10,170 crore Taka. By the 2013-14 fiscal year, this revenue had risen to 12,556 crore Taka. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, revenue from the tobacco sector reached 32,823 crore Taka.

However, while it is urgent to pass this amended tobacco control law to protect public health, tobacco companies are attempting to obstruct its passage with various false claims. They argue that strengthening the tobacco control law will reduce government revenue, but this argument is entirely unreasonable. According to the revenue data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), when the tobacco control law was passed in Bangladesh in 2005, the revenue from tobacco that year was 2,888 crore Taka. In the following year (2005-06), the revenue collected increased to 3,351 crore Taka. When the law was amended in 2013, the revenue from tobacco in that year was 10,170 crore Taka. By the 2013-14 fiscal year, this revenue had risen to 12,556 crore Taka. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, revenue from the tobacco sector reached 32,823 crore Taka.

In reality, the amount of revenue the tobacco companies contribute annually is less than the approximately 8,000 crore Taka spent on treating tobacco-related diseases. Ignoring this reality, the tobacco companies are creating obstacles to amending the law solely for the purpose of making profits.

Moreover, the tobacco companies are spreading various rumors targeting marginal and small businesses. They claim that if the tobacco control law is amended, small businesses will face a crisis. This claim is unrealistic. Small businesses sell various products, not just cigarettes. Therefore, if the sale of one product is stopped, they will not be adversely affected. In fact, the rate of consumption of this harmful product will decrease. The tobacco companies are also falsely claiming that employment will be harmed in the country if the tobacco control law is enacted. However, according to NBR data, there are only 46,000 workers employed in the bidi industry in Bangladesh. Nearly 90 per cent of the market is controlled by two multinational cigarette companies, BATB and JTI. According to tobacco company reports, their employee count is just 1,769 (1,669 at BATB and about 100 at JTI). Therefore, the claim that 7 million people will lose their jobs in the cigarette companies is pure misinformation.

In addition, tobacco companies are enticing children and adolescents to become addicted to smoking by creating designated smoking areas in various restaurants, displaying advertisements in front of sales points, and conducting various campaigns to increase the use of vaping and e-cigarettes in the country. In this way, tobacco companies are hiding the truth and leading the younger generation into darkness. Therefore, it is essential to pass the amended tobacco control law quickly to protect the youth from the harmful effects of tobacco.

At the same time, now is the time to stand against all the devious tactics of tobacco companies. We strongly demand the amendment of the tobacco control law to stop the company's promotional schemes, increase government revenue, and reduce tobacco use in the country.

Maria Salam: News Editor, Views Bangladesh and Member, Tobacco-Free Mothers' Forum