Public Health on Top

Facebook-based vape sellers are now trying to repudiate a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), titled Eighth WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2021, as the findings do not conform to its business interest. Such a group, based in Bangladesh, has even attempted to slander the findings and brought out allegation that "WHO's controversial role can put millions of former smokers at risk." The group that goes by the name Voice of Vapers (VoV) previously used the name and logo of WHO in its social media campaign to spread baseless claims regarding so-called health benefits of vaping. VoV also propagated false narratives such as "physicians are relying on vaping as well". Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BENDSTA), another such body founded last year, is also campaigning for the promulgation of pro-vaping policies and facilitation of an "independent" vape industry in Bangladesh. Although WHO has clearly identified emerging tobacco products (ETPs), such as vaping, e-cigarettes etc., as detrimental to health, these groups are conducting aggressive promotional campaigns to encourage the use of ETPs among the youth as “safe alternative” to traditional tobacco products. Vape item importers and sellers are also trying to draw the attention of policymakers by promoting the baseless claim that vaping can play effective role in building a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040 as envisioned by the Honorable Prime Minister. Such claims are utterly false and not based on facts since studies from the US reveal that 56 percent of e-cigarette users in 2019 were not users of traditional cigarettes in the first place. Vaping or e-cigarettes do not lead to smoking cessation rather lead to initiation of cigarette use, considering the study data that young people in the US who are now using ETPs are 8 times more likely to start smoking within a year.

In a bid to safeguard public health, 32 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, have banned ETPs. Bangladesh must amend its tobacco control law and ban the production, import, marketing and sale of these products.