Death Marketing-1

Lax Implementation Benefits Company, Hurts Public Health

Abul Khayer Tobacco Company (AKTC) has been advertising its cigarettes brands using alluring phrases such as 'full-flavored", "clove-flavoured" and "cinnamon-flavoured'. Such campaign by AKTC, aimed at hooking adolescents, youth and low-income demographic into tobacco, can be found in almost any point-of-sale of the country. It should be noted that as per the tobacco control law, any promotion at the points-of-sale is strictly prohibited and a punishable offense. The penalty for advertising tobacco products in the existing law is a simple imprisonment not exceeding three months or a monetary fine not exceeding Tk. 100,000 or both. For each repeated violation, the fine doubles or triples accordingly. Such aggressive promotional campaign must be stopped through the implementation of TC law.