BENDSTA calls for evidence-based policy on e-cigarettes
Alleging the spread of misleading information regarding Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), or e-cigarettes, the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BENDSTA) has called for evidence-based and pragmatic policies for the sector.
The association's leaders made the remarks at a press conference held at a hotel in the capital on Sunday.
BENDSTA said that during the tenure of the interim government, obstacles were created in the import of vaping products, accompanied by what it described as the spread of negative perceptions, an issue the organisation said requires reconsideration.
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The association also alleged that certain organisations are submitting misleading and false information to the prime minister regarding e-cigarettes.
BENDSTA President Schumann Zaman, General Secretary Rezwan Ahmed, and other leaders were present at the press conference.
The organisation claimed that around one million adults currently use ENDS or vaping products in Bangladesh, many of whom have adopted them as a means of quitting smoking or reducing harm.
According to BENDSTA, the sector comprises more than 100 companies and over 600 retail outlets, providing employment to a significant number of people.
Speakers at the press conference said assessments by various international health bodies indicate that e-cigarettes are considered less harmful than conventional cigarettes. They also claimed that health guidelines in the United Kingdom recognise the use of e-cigarettes as a supportive tool for smoking cessation.
BENDSTA further said e-cigarettes are not banned in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Italy; instead, their use is allowed under regulated frameworks. The organisation warned that imposing a total ban could increase the risk of black-market activity and lead to the spread of unregulated products.
The association proposed the development of a regulated framework for the ENDS sector, including measures such as quality control, setting a minimum age limit, introducing a licensing system, bringing the sector under a tax framework, and providing training for retailers.
BENDSTA leaders said policymaking on ENDS should take into account three key considerations: protection of public health, market regulation, and harm reduction.
They urged the authorities to base decisions on scientific evidence and real-world data rather than what they described as misleading information.
