Tobacco
Smoking killed 7.69 million people worldwide in 2019
About 7.69 million people died worldwide in 2019 from different smoking-related diseases, an estimate by an international team of researchers shows.
China accounted for the largest number of deaths – 2.42 million, nearly 30% of the world total – followed by India at 1.01 million, the US at 530,000, Russia at 290,000 and Indonesia at 250,000, according to the estimate published in the British medical journal The Lancet.
The study, which analysed data from over 3,000 health surveys covered more than 200 countries and regions.
Also read: Speakers for amending Smoking and Tobacco Usage (Control) Act
The team found the number of smokers in the world topped 1.1 billion in 2019, with 7 trillion cigarettes consumed annually.
Although smoking rates are on a downward trend in developed countries, the number of smokers is on the rise in developing countries, including those in Africa, where the population is growing rapidly.
The most common diseases that directly caused deaths among smokers were ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and strokes. Smoking is known to increase the risk of developing these diseases.
However, the estimate does not include the health damage caused by secondhand smoke.
Also read: Quit Smoking: How to prevent Nicotine addiction
The team also found that 87% of the deaths were in people who continued smoking, and only 6% were people who had quit smoking more than 15 years before their deaths.
As the tobacco industry is developing marketing strategies targeting youths to promote items such as flavoured cigarettes and e-cigarettes, banning the sale of such products will help reduce the number of young smokers, the team said and called for measures such as higher tobacco taxes and advertising restrictions.
Govt should enlist tobacco as addictive drug: ADHUNIK President
ADHUNIK, the first anti-tobacco organization in Bangladesh that encourages smokers to quit for good, has said the government should enlist tobacco as a dangerous addictive drug in the country.
"ADHUNIK will strengthen its campaign in demanding tobacco control and gradually push for a complete ban on tobacco products," said its president Amanullah Khan.
Speaking at a recent webinar, he said the World Health Organization (WHO) enlisted tobacco as an addictive drug way back in 1987.
Also read: Tobacco products to become more affordable: Anti-tobacco platforms
"We’ve continuously pressed forward our demand to the Narcotics Control Department of our country to do the same in Bangladesh, but to no avail,“ he said, adding that it is vital to let the government know how much it is important.
Amanullah Khan also stressed the need for making tobacco products pricier through increased taxation.
ADHUNIK (Amra Dhumpan Nibaron Kori) hosted the webinar titled "World No Tobacco Day: Pledge to Quit Tobacco Today” supported by Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
At the event, Amanullah Khan also paid homage to ADHUNIK’s founder President National Professor Dr Nurul Islam, calling him as a ‘Dedicated Tobacco Warrior’.
Launched in 1987, ADHUNIK won WHO awards thrice -- in 1992, 1992 and 2005 (Special Award of WHO Director General) — in recognition of its remarkable role in creating a supportive environment for smokers to give up.
"We may lose the battle, but we’ll win the war,” said the current ADHUNIK president citing Prof Dr. Nurul Islam as a great hero on the war against tobacco.
Khan said tobacco business empires are widening their horizons every day and their lobby is very strong, giving their business a stronger footing.
He said the government should take tougher initiatives to control tobacco products to live up to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s pledge for creating a smoking-free Bangladesh by 2040.
President of Coalition Against Tobacco Tracks and Terrorism (CATT) Ali Neyamat also spoke on the occasion.
Also read: Experts frustrated at NBR's role as calls for specific taxes on tobacco go unheeded
Vice Chancellor of Chattogram Medical College Prof Dr Md Ismail Khan spoke at the webinar as the chief guest, while
Prof Abu Taher, Member of the University Grant Commission (UGC), and Prof Eng Fayyaz Khan, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT), Dhaka, were present as special guests.
A I Islam, Chairman, BOT, USTC and General Secretary, ADHUNIK, was the main speaker of the virtual event moderated by ADHUNIK Executive Secretary Abdul Jabber.
Dr Ismail Khan said tobacco is one of the most addictive products and the government should immediately enact stricter laws for controlling tobacco.
“Besides, passive smoking is also very harmful. No one has the right to actively harm others. So, authorities should have zero tolerance towards smoking,” he added.
Prof Abu Taher said the anti-tobacco laws in Bangladesh are not enforced properly. "The situation should change.”
Prof Harun-Ur-Rashid, Chairman Kidney Foundation, Dhaka, Prof Hasina Banoo, Senior Vice-President of ADHUNIK, Prof SM Mostafa Kamal, Organising Secretary, Bangladesh Cardiac Society, Prof Dr Prabir Kumar Das, Head, Department of Cardiology, CMCH, Chattogram, Prof AMM Ehtesamul Hoq, Principal, IAHS, and Associate Professor Dr Neena Islam, Social Welfare Secretary of ADHUNIK, joined the webinar as panelists.
Tobacco products to ‘become more affordable’
On Thursday, two anti-tobacco platforms -- PROGGA and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) -- claimed that tobacco products will become more affordable in the upcoming fiscal year (2021-2022).
The proposed budget has kept the prices unchanged for low-tier cigarettes which constitute around 72 percent of the cigarette market.
The per capita income of the country, however, saw a 9 percent increase since last fiscal year, they said.
The proposed budget, if implemented, will considerably reduce the real prices of cigarettes and encourage the poor and the youth demographic to get hooked on the deadly addiction to smoking.
The same goes for bidi and smokeless tobacco (jarda and gul) where the taxes and prices have also been kept unchanged. This will put the low-income people, particularly women, at greater health risks.
Also read: Doctors for raising tobacco tax to protect public health
If the proposed budget is finally passed, tobacco companies will be the only beneficiaries while the government will lose the opportunities of revenue earning, they said.
Such a budget will only encourage tobacco business and ignore hundreds of thousands of deaths, impairment, massive socioeconomic and environmental damage this industry causes, they said.
The proposed budget has kept the prices of and taxes on low and medium categories of cigarettes unchanged. The prices for 10 sticks of high- and premium-tier cigarettes have been increased by only BDT 5 (5.2 percent hike) and BDT 7 (5.5 percent hike), setting the prices at Tk 102 and 135 respectively.
Quit Smoking: How to prevent Nicotine addiction
Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health that increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases. Knowing this, many of those who once smoked a cigarette out of curiosity later became complete smokers. Those who have been smoking for a long time, fail to quit smoking. Most chain smokers think of quitting smoking again and again but are not able to quit even after trying. However, if you are a smoker, you may follow some rules that can help you quit smoking easily. Let's take a look at some tips given by smoking cessation experts.
There are many products that can be used to recover from nicotine addiction. However, most of the products might not be available locally. Hence, it would be great if we can make a habit to leave smoking without using any products.
How to Quit Smoking Tobacco Products
Find a strong reason to stop smoking
If you want to inspire yourself or move away from something, you always need some solid reason. To get rid of the habit of smoking, you need to have a goal of your own. For example, quitting smoking greatly reduces your risk of heart disease or lung cancer, and keeps your body young even as you get older. Also, there are many more reasons you can add to your list to quit smoking. Finally, a person who is addicted to smoking can easily restrain himself if he can understand the identified issues properly.
Read Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks
Take help from nearest and dearest ones
Tell your friends, family, and colleagues that you want to quit smoking. Tell them to encourage you. Maybe if you go to a party and grab a cigarette, it will be useful if the people around you refrain from smoking. The study says that the combined behavioral therapy is very useful in eliminating our various bad habits.
Control your stress
Many people think that smoking is especially effective in relieving their stress. In fact, it is more a matter of thought than of consumption. When a person settles his mind that smoking helps him with anxiety or emotional issues, it becomes very difficult to get rid of cigarettes very naturally. In this case, if you are stressed, all you have to do is take a break and go to a natural shelter.
For example, staying in a circle of friends to overcome depression, listening to some beautiful songs, entertaining yourself in the natural scene, etc. As a result of implementing these, you will be able to realize for a while that it is not smoking, but natural or physiological activities that will alleviate anxiety and demand balanced energy.
Read Types of Meditation: Which One is Right for You
Changes in eating habits
Having a cup of tea, with a cigarette; or smoking a little after eating a meal is like someone's daily routine. Some people hold a soft drink in their right hand and hold a cigarette in their other hand. Note that since you want to refrain from smoking, it is very important to change your eating habits for a while. For example, one can keep away from tea or soft drinks for a few days, brush one's teeth after eating rice. After a meal, chat with a friend or have a little conversation with a loved one.
Nicotine gum and Lozenges
Since regular smoking is a strong bad habit, when someone suddenly tries to refrain from smoking, the person's mental behavior or body changes in various ways. So, think of some alternatives to cigarettes. Studies show that using nicotine gum, lozenges, or chewing gum as an alternative to cigarettes can be somewhat helpful in avoiding bad habits. There are some chewing gums available in the market for quitting cigarettes that are quite effective. You can try them.
Read Muscle Building Diet: Best Foods for Muscle Gains, Definition and Fat Reduction
Seek help from a doctor
Sometimes a brain addicted to nicotine needs to consult a doctor to get rid of smoking. According to the advice, certain rules can be used to keep track of the harms of smoking, such as meditation. Alternatively, if you use cigarettes to relieve stress, think differently. With the advice of a doctor, you can take mental illness medicine instead of cigarettes.
Stop drinking alcohol
Alcohol is overly connected with smoking and it is as harmful as smoking. So drinking alcohol should be avoided. If you are an alcoholic or casual drinker, you should refrain from alcohol too.
Do physical work
Physical activity will help you quit smoking. You can start walking or jogging when you desire to smoke. Physical activity can take away your craving to smoke. Moreover, this will eliminate extra calories from your body.
Read Barbells vs. Dumbbells: Which is better for Workout, Strength, and Muscle Growth?
Some traditional methods
After smoking for a long time, nicotine goes deep into the body. There is no substitute for water to wash away the nicotine that accumulates in the body as a toxin. Drink plenty of water to quit smoking. Besides, you may eat ginger. Some of the ingredients present in it suppress the desire to smoke in various ways. You can eat ginger tea or raw ginger.
You can eat grape juice. It increases the performance of the lungs by removing toxins that accumulate in the body due to nicotine. In addition, the desire to smoke began to decrease. You can eat oats to quit smoking. Mix 1 teaspoon of oats with 2 cups of boiling water and leave it overnight. The next morning, boil again for 10 minutes and continue to eat a little after each meal. This will get nicotine out of the body. With that, the desire to smoke will also decrease.
Read Health benefits of Chamomile Tea
Eat fruits and vegetables
Under no circumstances should you refrain from healthy eating while quitting smoking. Instead, one should eat plenty of vegetables and fruits at this time. According to a study by Duke University, cigarettes start to taste bad when you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. So keep fruits and vegetables on the food list regularly.
Try again and again
If you are highly addicted to smoking, you may not stop it on the first try. Hence, there is no substitute for trying again and again to quit smoking. Set a time for yourself on how quickly you want to quit smoking. Proceed that way gradually step by step.
Also read: IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Long Healthy life
World No Tobacco Day tomorrow
PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), an anti-tobacco platform, on Sunday demanded to introduce Specific Taxes and amend Tobacco Control Law, with World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) being observed on Monday around the globe. This year the theme of WNTD is: Commit to quit.
Abstaining from tobacco use for a whole year decreases the risk of coronary heart disease to about half that of a smoker. Within 10 years of quitting, the risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker. Compared to those who continue tobacco use, those who quit at about 30-40 years of age, gain almost 9-10 years of life expectancy
Tobacco is one of the major contributing factors to lung and cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco users are two to four times more likely to get heart disease (heart attack and stroke) than nonsmokers. Tobacco, responsible for 25 percent of all cancer deaths globally, is linked to at least 20 cancer types. Particularly, lung cancer risk is around 25 times higher in tobacco users compared with those who have never smoked. About 80% of all COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is caused by cigarette smoking and smokers are 13 times more likely to die from COPD than non-smokers. Smokers face a 40 – 50 percent higher risk of developing severe disease and death from COVID-19, says WHO.
READ: Experts frustrated at NBR's role as calls for specific taxes on tobacco go unheeded
Tobacco also causes irreparable damage to one’s family and surroundings. As per the 2017 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) of World Health organization (WHO), currently 38.4 million people in Bangladesh face secondhand smoking in work, transport and other public places on a regular basis. About 40.8 million (39%) Bangladeshis are exposed to passive smoking at home, with the majority being women. A recent study conducted among school children of Dhaka has found out that 95 percent of school-going children have higher nicotine in their saliva samples which is undoubtedly a result of passive smoking.
The use of tobacco causes around 126,000 deaths in Bangladesh a year. The financial loss (due to medical expenditure and loss of productivity) incurred per year due to tobacco use exceeds BDT 30,560 crore. A matter of particular concern is that currently the lowest income people have a much higher rate (48%) to use tobacco than the highest earning class (24%).
Between 2009 and 2017, the average monthly expenditure for bidi has increased by 50% for each individual smoker. Currently, a cigarette smoker spends on average BDT 1077.7 per month for cigarettes. On the contrary, the average monthly expenditure for education and health of a household is only BDT 835.7 and 700 respectively (Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016). If the money spent on tobacco could be channeled into spending for education, health or the fight against human poverty, the economic condition of families could be radically improved.
On the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day 2021, ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA said, the poor demographic is predominantly more price sensitive. Once prices of tobacco products are increased, it decreases the use of tobacco, tobacco-related diseases and deaths and other losses. So, increasing taxes on tobacco is a pro-poor measure.
Most importantly, to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, cigarettes and other tobacco products need to be brought out of the purchasing capacity of the masses through the imposition of specific taxes.
READ: Doctors for raising tobacco tax to protect public health
In addition, measures such as removing the provision of “designated smoking area”, banning smoking in all public places, work spaces, and public transport, banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale, banning ‘corporate social responsibility’ activities of tobacco companies, banning the sale of single sticks and unpackaged smokeless tobacco, banning the sale and import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, and allowing stricter rules on packaging including increases to the size of graphic health warnings- should be adopted and implemented through an amendment of tobacco control law.
Doctors for raising tobacco tax to protect public health
Scores of prominent doctors have urged the government to hike tobacco tax in the budget to protect public health.
In a joint statement on Friday, initiated by Dhaka Ahsania Mission, 121 doctors said tobacco was involved in six of the eight leading causes of preventable death worldwide.
The statement noted that cigarettes are very cheap and readily available in the market due to the multi-layered tax structure of cigarettes in Bangladesh depending on the features and brands.
As a result, consumers are able to choose cheaper cigarettes instead of quitting, and the use of cigarettes has been relatively similar in recent years. The availability of tobacco products must be reduced through tax increases, said the doctors.
Also read: Speakers want specific taxes imposed to increase price of tobacco products
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), tobacco users have a 57 percent higher risk of developing tobacco-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, COPD or lung cancer, and a 109 percent higher risk of other tobacco-related cancers.
According to the statement, more than 1,61,000 people die of tobacco-related diseases every year in Bangladesh.
Speakers want specific taxes imposed to increase price of tobacco products
Describing the current tobacco tax structure as extremely complex, speakers at a webinar on Monday urged the government to simplify the tax structure to widen its net in the country.
They also said the complex tax structure is a major obstacle for discouraging tobacco usage at the virtual exchange meeting titled ‘Way Forward to Tobacco free Bangladesh by 2040: Tobacco Tax” with the members of the Executive Committee of the Economic Reports’ Forum (ERF) organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM).
The speakers said Bangladesh is one of the most tobacco consuming countries in the world. In this country the price of cigarettes is very low, bidi is cheaper.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the per capita national income (nominal) has increased by 25.4 percent in 2017-18 as compared to 2015-16. However, the price of most cigarettes has remained almost unchanged or has increased slightly. As a result, cigarettes are becoming more readily available. That is why, it is important to increase the price of cigarettes in a proper way, that is, through a specific tax increase.
Also read: PROGGA, ATMA for imposing specific taxes on tobacco products
The Project Coordinator of Tobacco Control Project at Dhaka Ahsania Mission Md Shariful Islam presented the keynote paper at the seminar while its Media Manager Rezaur Rahman Rizvi moderated the function.
In the keynote paper, the proposal for cigarettes in the financial year 2021-2022 was to introduce a specific excise (supplementary) duty based on the price level of all cigarette brands with uniform coverage (supplementary duty 65% of final retail price).
It suggested fixing the retail price of cigarettes at TK 50 per 10 sticks and imposing a specific supplementary duty of TK 32.50 at the low tier.
At the middle tier, the retail price of every 10 sticks of cigarettes is to be fixed at TK 70 and a specific supplementary duty of TK 45.50 is to be imposed.
Also read: Bring smokeless tobacco products under tax net: PROGGA
At the higher level, the retail price of 10 sticks of cigarettes is to be fixed at TK 110 and a fixed supplementary duty of Tk 71.50 and at the premium tier, the retail price of 10 sticks of cigarettes at Tk 140 and a supplementary duty of Tk 91 is to be fixed.
In the medium term (2021-22 to 2025-26), the price and tax gap between cigarette brands will be reduced from 4 to 2.
Director of Health and Wash Sector at Dhaka Ahsania Mission Iqbal Masud said tobacco is linked to six of the eight leading causes of preventable death worldwide. In Bangladesh, more than 161,000 people die every year from diseases caused by tobacco usage.
Some recommendations that came up in the seminar on tobacco control are:
Reduce the easy availability of tobacco products, specific supplementary tariffs must be increased regularly in line with inflation and income growth.
SImplify the taxation process, the existing divisions/variety/tiers between tobacco products need to be removed. All smokeless tobacco products should be brought under the tax net.
Also read: Hike tobacco tax and price to save lives, earn revenues: ATMA
Formulate and implement a simple and effective tobacco tax policy (for a period of 5 years) which will contribute to the reduction of tobacco usage and increase in revenue and the re-imposition of 25 per cent export duty on tobacco products.
Dr Syed Mahfuzul Haque, National Professional Officer (NCD), World Health Organization (WHO), Abdus Salam Mia, Grants Manager, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Bangladesh, Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Bangladesh, Sharmeen Rinvy, President of Economic Reports Forum (ERF) and SM Rashedul Islam, General Secretary of ERF also were present there.
Bidi workers appeal for help to preserve their livelihoods
The Bidi workers on Saturday (May 01, 2021) urged the government to take necessary measures to save the industry’s workers for ensuring the livelihood of millions of workers and their family members.
They made the call at a rally in front of Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka. The bidi is a smoked product made of unprocessed tobacco wrapped in leaves unique to South Asia.
Bidi Sramik Federation president M K Bangali said thousands of bidi workers staged a rally in the city alongside Kushtia, Pabna, Bogura Tangail, Barisal, Patuakhali, marking the international May Day.
Read Covid-19: Hasina for balancing livelihoods and public health
“We broke out processions with various placards and posters of our demands. We are going through a miserable time as factories are being closed day by day,” he also said.
Executive Member of the organization Anwar Hossain said they have to be united to press home their demand by taking the lesson of bloodshed history of the Labor Day. The historic May Day was observed today as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic which has rendered millions of workers jobless in recent months.
“The COVID-19 hit our income hard, so the government should pay attention to us,” he also said.
Read May Day: Workers trapped between hunger and fear
Some 10 workers were killed in Chicago on May 1 in 1886 when police opened fire on a demonstration demanding an eight-hour working day instead of a 12-hour shift.
The authorities were eventually forced to accept the workers’ demand which resulted in an eight-hour working day universally.
On July 14, 1889, an international workers' rally in Paris declared May 1 as the International Workers' Solidarity Day in recognition of the workers' sacrifice in Chicago.
Read PROGGA, ATMA for imposing specific taxes on tobacco products
PROGGA, ATMA for imposing specific taxes on tobacco products
Research and Advocacy Organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) have demanded the government to impose specific taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products in the upcoming budget for 2021-22.
In a press conference held virtually on Tuesday, the two organizations unveiled their proposals regarding tobacco taxes and prices in the 2021-22 FY national budget.
Implementation of proposals would prevent premature deaths of nearly 390,000 current adults and 400,000 current youth, according to release.
Also read: Dhaka Conference: Amend tobacco laws, impose specific taxes
In addition, supplementary duty, health development surcharge and VAT on cigarettes would also earn the government Tk 34 billion in additional revenues, the organizations claim.
The Project Head of Tobacco Control at PROGGA Md Hasan Shahriar presented the budget proposals are-- Introducing a tiered specific excise (supplementary duty -SD) with uniform tax burden (SD share of 65% of final retail price) across all cigarette brands.
In the low-tier, the retail price should be set at 50 for 10 sticks, followed by Tk 32.50 as specific supplementary duty (SD); In the medium-tier set the retail price at Tk 70 for 10 sticks and Tk 45.50 should be imposed as SD; In the high-tier, the retail price should be set at 110for 10 sticks, followed by Tk 71.50 as SD; and in the premium tier, set the retail price at Tk 140 for 10 sticks and BDT 91 should be imposed as SD.
Read Amend existing law to build tobacco-free Bangladesh
Reducing price tiers from four to two in the medium-term (2021-22 to 2025-26) by reducing the gaps in final prices and tax rates between cigarettes brands
For 25 non-filtered bidi sticks, the retail price should be Tk 25, followed by a specific supplementary duty of Tk 11.25. The price for 20 filtered sticks should be Tk 20, which will be followed by a specific supplementary duty of Tk 9. As a result of such measures, in both filtered and non-filtered bidis, the specific supplementary duty will be 45 percent of final retail prices.
For SLT products, the price per 10-gram jarda and gul should be Tk 45 and 25 respectively. A specific supplementary duty of Tk 27 should be imposed on per 10-gram jarda. For gul, the specific supplementary duty should be Tk 15. As a result of such measures, in both jarda and gul, the specific supplementary duty will be 60 percent of final retail prices.
Read Bring smokeless tobacco products under tax net: PROGGA
They also propose to retain the existing 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) and 1% Heath Development Surcharge on all tobacco products.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), 2017, between 2009 and 2017, there has been a 1.5 million increase in the number of cigarette users. The numbers reveal that the existing tobacco tax structure has not been contributing to make Bangladesh a tobacco-free country by 2040, as envisioned by the Honorable Prime Minister.
With the ongoing second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the health sector and overall economy of the country are going through precarious condition. If tobacco use goes unchecked during such a period of vulnerabilities, it would put the additional risk for public health, Shahriar added.
Also read:1.26 lakh people die in Bangladesh every year in diseases ...
According to World Health Organization (WHO), smokers are more likely to become severely ill when infected with covid-19. This makes the existing tobacco users, around 40 million in number, extremely vulnerable to severe covid-19 infection.
In Bangladesh, tobacco use claims 126,000 lives prematurely each year. In a 2019 study titled “Economic Cost of Tobacco Use in Bangladesh: A Health Cost Approach”, it was revealed that in 2017-18, the economic cost (medical expenses and loss of productivity) of tobacco use stood at Tk30,560 crore while revenues from the tobacco sector in 2017-18 FY was only Tk 22,810 crore.
He also said raising the prices of tobacco products would discourage the youth from starting use and getting addicted while encouraging the existing users belonging to the poor demographic to quit.
Read 10 people fined Tk 2,000 for smoking in public place
Supporting fully the budget proposals to increase tobacco taxes and prices, the convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said the government must look for the welfare of the people, as dictated in our Constitution.
“Unfortunately, the government only prioritizes the revenue aspect, turning a blind eye to how it impacts the lives of the people.” he also said.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “To hike tobacco taxes and prices, we can always follow the precedents set by neighbouring Sri Lanka. We can progress through learning from each other. We also need to educate the youth on the detrimental effects of tobacco.”
Read Tobacco causes 20% of deaths from coronary heart disease.
Senior Research Fellow of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr Naznin Ahmed said taxes at a specific rate should be imposed on tobacco. It will benefit the government
“The covid-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for broader tobacco control. To utilize this, we need to make the harmful effects of tobacco widely known.” She also said.
The Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) Dr Mahfuz Kabir said the tobacco taxation structure requires fundamental reform. With that end in mind, specific supplementary duty needs to be introduced.
Read Tobacco ban: Industries Ministry quashes health division's proposal
“The implementation of taxation and price related budget proposals, particularly in the low-tier cigarette brands, would significantly increase revenues and lower the health risk of poor demographic, considering the fact that 72 percent of cigarette smokers are users of low-tier brands.” Md Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Bangladesh said.
“We hope, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) will adopt the proposals. It will increase the government earnings, reduce existing tobacco use and also discourage the young from initiating,” Mostafizur added.
Read Are Smokers More Vulnerable to COVID19?
Bring smokeless tobacco products under tax net: PROGGA
PROGGA, the anti-tobacco platform, has proposed that all types of smokeless tobacco products be brought under the government's tax net in the upcoming budget for 2021-22 fiscal.
The organization recommended a good number of suggestions at a webinar Tuesday to reduce the consumption of tobacco products in the country, with the aim to realise a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.
Raising tobacco taxes would encourage nearly 1.1 million adults to abstain from smoking and deter more than 800,000 youth from smoking initiation and save the lives of nearly 390,000 current adults and 400,000 current youth from premature death.
That is all before we even get to the Tk300 billion in tax revenue that it would generate for the government's coffers.
Also read: 1.26 lakh people die in Bangladesh every year in diseases related to tobacco use: PROGGA
The current tobacco tax structure in Bangladesh is complex and inadequate to discourage tobacco use. So, raising taxes in Bangladesh would save lives while increasing government revenue.
Progga’s recommendations are:
- Introducing a tiered specific excise with uniform tax burden (excise share of 65% of final retail price) across all cigarette brands;
- Reducing price tiers from four to two in the medium-term by reducing the gaps in final prices and tax rates between cigarettes brands;
- cutting down the prevalence of cigarette smoking from 15.1% to 14.1%;
- Increasing cigarette prices more at the LOW tier will help relatively lower income smokers in the LOW tier to quit and at the same time limit the ability of smokers to substitute to cheaper brands when prices increase in the higher price tiers. Jacking up prices of bidi and SLTs will discourage the use of such products among low-income people and significantly increase the revenues for the government.
Read Tobacco causes 20% of deaths from coronary heart disease: Report
Other Recommendations are:
- To reduce affordability of tobacco, increase specific supplementary duty regularly, based on inflation and increase in per-capita income;
- Simplifying the tobacco tax system by gradually eliminating distinctions between different tobacco products (filtered /non-filtered, tiers of cigarettes, distinctions between jarda and gul etc);
- Gradually introducing standardized packaging, i.e. marketing all forms of tobacco products in same amount packs (i.e. same number of sticks or same weight in container);
- Adopting and implementing a simple and effective tobacco tax policy (for 5 years) which will decrease tobacco use and increase revenue;
- Reinstating the 25 percent export duty on tobacco products.
Also read: National Budget: Progga, ATMA for hiking tobacco goods revenue
Following these tax recommendations would greatly further economic development and align tobacco tax policy in Bangladesh with global best practices.
Bangladesh has committed to achieve tobacco-related targets under the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 8. Raising taxes on tobacco is a cost-effective way to reach those targets. It is also a major step towards achieving the vision of a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.
At the same time, tobacco tax reform will generate significant additional revenue to finance Bangladesh health and development priorities. This is a clear ‘win-win’ for the Government and people of Bangladesh.
Read Anti-tobacco platform’s annual conference on Saturday
265 zarda, gul factories evading taxes
Many smokeless tobacco (SLT) manufacturers of Bangladesh have managed to slip away from the government's tax net; at least 265 of them are not paying taxes and 33% do not even have a valid trade licence.
Of the 483 SLT factories, 435 zarda – moist or dry chewing tobacco – and 48 gul – oral tobacco powder – factories in Bangladesh, only 218 pay taxes.
Also read:1.26 lakh people die in Bangladesh every year in diseases ...
Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed, former National Board of Revenue (NBR) chair, came up with the number Monday while presenting the findings of the study "Factors inhibiting smokeless tobacco tax payments by smokeless tobacco manufacturers operating outside the tax net in Bangladesh" at a webinar.
The study was conducted with assistance from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
NBR jointly organised the programme with several anti-tobacco organisations, including National Heart Foundation, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, UBINIG, Voice and Progga.
In Bangladesh, SLT manufacturing and marketing mostly go unsupervised and unregulated. So, these products remain quite cheap, available and affordable.
Also, around 91% of SLT manufacturers produce their products manually. SLT products are primarily manufactured in small unmarked factories or houses. Their total monthly gross turnover is around Tk2.7 crore.
Also read:Dhaka Conference: Amend tobacco laws, impose specific taxes
Bringing the SLT producers under the tax net would increase the tax revenues from this sector considerably, the study said.
However, it also identifies the "informal" nature of SLT production as the main impediment in ensuring tax compliance in the sector.
Several other issues concerning the NBR, including lack of trained officials, the organisational structure of field offices and the outdated equipment and systems also add to this problem, the study said.
The absence of a fully digitalised and automated tax return processing system as well as the lack of a secure tracking and tracing system also facilitates tax evasion.
The study suggests introducing an automated tax return processing system, equipping and training the NBR officials, restructuring NBR field formations, introducing a secure tracking and tracing system (TTS), and authorising local government institutions to bring SLT manufacturers under local tax nets.
SLT products are severely detrimental to health and responsible for causing oral, oropharyngeal and other types of cancers.
However, around 20.6% – 2.20 crore – adults and school-going children aged 13-15 use smokeless tobacco in Bangladesh.
Despite such a high prevalence of tobacco usage, the SLT sector contributed Tk30.6 crore in revenue – 0.12% of the total revenue collected from tobacco – in the fiscal year 2019-20.