Death Marketing-1

Giveaway strategy: an ominous marketing ploy of e-cig companies on social media

There has been, very recently, an unprecedented proliferation of marketing campaigns on Facebook to attract the youth to e-cigarettes and other emerging tobacco products. Cunningly maneuvered competitions are abundant where the winners are being given vaping materials as prizes. The use of e-cigarette items is noticeably on the rise among the youth of Bangladesh which poses a great threat to public health of the country. Vaping clubs are springing up like mushrooms, mostly centering around educational institutions, university campuses and other popular gathering places of the youth. There are numerous points of sale of such products in Dhaka and other divisional cities. Such products are also being reviewed, discussed, sold and exchanged in countless groups on Facebook and other social media platforms. Unfortunately, so far, no study has been conducted to reveal the extent and dimensions of e-cigarette use in Bangladesh. Moreover, Bangladesh is yet to develop any legal measure to specifically bring the spread of such products under control. So, in order to safeguard the youth of Bangladesh from the growing reign of destruction of emerging tobacco products, the production, import and marketing of e-cigarettes, vaping, heated tobacco products must be banned. Besides, regular monitoring, surveys and studies must be conducted to facilitate the formation and implementation of competent laws.