Dhaka: A group of young doctors today called on the government to enhance the Tobacco Control Act to curb the deceptive strategies employed by tobacco companies to entice young individuals into smoking. They emphasized the need for stricter regulations during a workshop titled ‘The Role of Young Doctors to Control Tobacco for Protecting Public Health,’ organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the workshop was chaired by the President of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, Prof Dr. Khandkar Abdul Awal Rizvi. It featured prominent speakers including Secretary General Professor Dr. Fazilatunnesa Malik. Other notable attendees were Prof Dr. Sohel Reza Chowdhury, Head of the Department of Diseases and Research at the National Heart Foundation and Research Institute, Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, adviser to the anti-tobacco program and Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka, and Dr. Aruna Sarkar, the program coordinator.
Speakers at the workshop condemned the tobacco companies for deploying various unethical methods to lure young people into smoking, often under the guise of corporate social responsibility initiatives. They stressed the necessity of amending the Tobacco Control Act to effectively counter these tactics.
The young doctors underscored the paradox of tobacco consumption despite widespread awareness of its detrimental effects, advocating for heightened consciousness as a means to combat this issue. They urged their fellow medical professionals to spearhead efforts in educating patients about the harmful impacts of tobacco use.
Additionally, the workshop proposed that the government consider increasing the prices of tobacco products as a deterrent to reduce consumption.