Withdraw vape ban proposal for smoking-free Bangladesh: BENDSTA

The Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BENDSTA) called on authorities to consult with all stakeholders before making any policy decisions on vaping.

The organisation also called for excluding vape and other electronic nicotine delivery systems from the proposed amendment of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Control Act 2005 (amended in 2013) at a press conference in the capital on January 17.

BENDSTA fears that if a decision to ban vapes is taken after ignoring credible scientific evidence, it will jeopardize the Honourable Prime Minister’s vision of making the country tobacco-free by 2040.

Many former smokers who successfully quit smoking cigarettes using vaping devices might switch back to smoking traditional cigarettes again if vaping gets banned in the country, BENDSTA speakers said.

Not only will this increase the number of smokers in the country, but the government will also lose the opportunity to balance its health and revenue agenda from an emerging sector, they said.

BENDSTA president Masud UZ Zaman stressed that these tobacco harm reduction products should be made legal and regulated sensibly to achieve the Prime Minister’s vision of a tobacco-free nation.

“If any amendment is proposed regarding vaping, we are an important stakeholder. It is unreasonable to not take our opinion and completely exclude us from the law-making process. Despite sending letters to the Ministry of Health repeatedly, they have refrained to sit with us to discuss the issue,” Zaman said.

Referring to World Bank figures, Zaman mentioned that 44 per cent of the total adult population were tobacco consumers in 2010, which came down to 34.7 per cent in 2020. Recognised as an effective quitting tool in developed nations, vaping has the potential to reduce smoking rates drastically, he said.

“India and Thailand are often used as examples by anti-vape groups when it comes to banning vaping. But even after banning vaping in India, it has been seen that these products are still being sold illegally in cigarette shops and various online marketplaces. People who have recently visited Thailand also reported that many people are still openly vaping in public,” Zaman said.

BENDSTA vice-president Anisuzzaman Naser Khan also spoke in the press conference. BENDSTA demanded to exclude vaping from the proposed tobacco law draft amendment, asked the authorities to consult with the organisation before taking any policy decision, and develop new and risk-proportionate regulations by recognising vaping and other Nicotine Replacement Therapies as credible quit-smoking tools.