Death Marketing -2

Philip Morris Unlawfully Giving Retailers Decorative Boxes

Showing utter disregard for the existing tobacco control law of Bangladesh, the multinational tobacco company Philip Morris is providing its retailers with decorative boxes of Marlboro brand to be displayed in public places. These boxes contain board with empty Marlboro cigarette boxes attached to them. While the amended tobacco control law 2013 prohibits all sorts of advertisements of tobacco products, this tactic has been adopted to promote tobacco products to customers at retail points. Notably, the punishment for advertising tobacco and tobacco products, under the existing law, is a simple imprisonment or a monetary fine not exceeding Tk. 100,000 or both the penalties and if the offence is found again, the punishment will be doubled. The new publicity strategies adopted by tobacco companies require attention of law-enforcement agencies.