BSS, Rajshahi :
Speakers said at a discussion that the retailers and other vendors concerned should abide by the law of the tobacco control to protect the public health from bad effect of both smoke and smokeless tobacco products.
They viewed the government has amended the law to make it more stringent because of growing tobacco use in the country. The main attraction of the landmark law is that it bans all sorts of tobacco advertisements at the point of sale and sponsorships of the industries. The law also bans the selling of cigarettes to those below 18.
More than 43 percent of adults most of them are young from 16 to 23 either smoke or chew tobacco. The retailers and vendors have a vital role to play for successful implementation of the law.
The observations came at an advocacy meeting styled “Enforcement of Tobacco Control Law” held at the conference hall of Association for Community Development (ACD) in Rajshahi city yesterday where more than 50 retailers attended.
ACD organized the discussion in association with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Additional District Magistrate Fazley Rabbi addressed the discussion as chief guest with Monirul Islam, Project Coordinator of ACD, in the chair. Another Project Coordinator Ehsanul Amin Emon, Advocacy Officer Hosney Ara Parveen and Journalist Sharif Sumon also spoke.
The chief guest said some shops have well-designed display showcases with colourful lighting, which have been made for keeping cigarette packets. Some other shops are displaying cigarette packs at the showcases while some shops have kept their showcases empty. “Cigarette consumption must be restricted to a greater extent for the sake of building a drug addiction-free society,” he said.
He said mobile courts will be conducted in the shops frequently and warned the participating retailers that they would be fined if they violate the law.
Speakers said at a discussion that the retailers and other vendors concerned should abide by the law of the tobacco control to protect the public health from bad effect of both smoke and smokeless tobacco products.
They viewed the government has amended the law to make it more stringent because of growing tobacco use in the country. The main attraction of the landmark law is that it bans all sorts of tobacco advertisements at the point of sale and sponsorships of the industries. The law also bans the selling of cigarettes to those below 18.
More than 43 percent of adults most of them are young from 16 to 23 either smoke or chew tobacco. The retailers and vendors have a vital role to play for successful implementation of the law.
The observations came at an advocacy meeting styled “Enforcement of Tobacco Control Law” held at the conference hall of Association for Community Development (ACD) in Rajshahi city yesterday where more than 50 retailers attended.
ACD organized the discussion in association with Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Additional District Magistrate Fazley Rabbi addressed the discussion as chief guest with Monirul Islam, Project Coordinator of ACD, in the chair. Another Project Coordinator Ehsanul Amin Emon, Advocacy Officer Hosney Ara Parveen and Journalist Sharif Sumon also spoke.
The chief guest said some shops have well-designed display showcases with colourful lighting, which have been made for keeping cigarette packets. Some other shops are displaying cigarette packs at the showcases while some shops have kept their showcases empty. “Cigarette consumption must be restricted to a greater extent for the sake of building a drug addiction-free society,” he said.
He said mobile courts will be conducted in the shops frequently and warned the participating retailers that they would be fined if they violate the law.
