Dhaka: Prime Minister's Political Adviser and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Planning Ministry, Zahir Uddin Swapon, emphasized the need for robust measures to protect young people from the growing threat posed by new tobacco products. Swapon's remarks came at a program organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, where findings from a study titled 'Trends in the Use of E-cigarettes, Heated Tobacco Products and Nicotine Pouches among Bangladeshi Youth' were unveiled at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Swapon highlighted the potential health risks associated with the marketing and easy availability of new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and nicotine pouches. He urged stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure effective control over these products to safeguard the health of the younger generation.
The event was presided over by National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh President Professor Dr. Khandakar Abdul Awal Rizvi and featured speeches by lawmaker Dr. Abu Mansur Sakhawat Hasan, Textiles and Jute Ministry Secretary Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury, and CTFK Regional Director for South Asia Programmes Dr. Maheen Malik. Dr. Hasan stressed the public health risks posed by increasing nicotine addiction among young people due to these products, calling for stringent control over their advertising, promotion, and sale.
Professor Dr. Khandakar Abdul Awal Rizvi emphasized the need for strict regulation of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco products, alongside age verification at points of sale to curb youth nicotine addiction. Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Chowdhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, delivered the welcome address, while Dr. Aruna Sarker, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Programme, presented the study's findings.
The study revealed that 5.5 percent of Bangladeshi youths aged 18 to 24 are currently using new tobacco products, with 28.1 percent having tried them at least once. Conducted by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, the study gathered data through an online survey of 524 individuals between March and July 2025, showing that e-cigarettes are the most popular among new tobacco products, followed by nicotine pouches and HTPs. The survey indicated that 78.2 percent of respondents were male, and 21.8 percent were female.