Tobacco claims 161,000 lives per year

Staff Reporter :
Every year more than 1,61,000 people die in the country on account of smoking.
The tobacco consumption has increased the risk of lung cancer by 20 to 30 per cent when about 25-30 per cent non-smokers are facing heart diseases out of second-hand smoking.
The observation was disclosed in a seminar titled “National Seminar to Support Smoke Free Environment and Tobacco Control in Bangladesh”, organised by Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing at CIRDAP Auditorium in the city.
Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing President and Member of Parliament Dr. Md. Habibe Millat chaired the seminar, while Dr. Nizam Uddin Ahmed,
Executive Director of Health Protection Foundation, presented the keynote paper.
Dr Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change, and National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Moshiur Rahman were, among others, spoke at the event.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin as the Chief Guest said that the government was working to build a ‘tobacco-free Bangladesh’ by 2040.
He also underscored the need for 100 per cent smoke free places to save the nation from various tobacco related diseases.
“Public places have to be made 100 per cent smoke free. Educational institutions have their responsibility to refrain students from tobacco consumption. It is a poison. Social movement is necessary to boycott it,” the minister said.
He also said that tobacco is not only causing harms to public health, also harmful for environment and it causes huge economic loss.
Stressing the need for huge awareness campaign to resist tobacco consumption, he said that the community people of all walks of life, including media should play a vital role here.
The minister pointing to the increasing trend of e-cigarettes said that necessary steps should be taken immediately to control the rising trend of the use of e-cigarettes before it reaches dangerous level.
The participants said that the government alone cannot eradicate tobacco consumption. Political parties and non-government organisations should make a concerted effort to build tobacco free Bangladesh.