Bangladesh observes World No-Tobacco Day highlighting devastating impact on families

Anti-tobacco organisations in Bangladesh observed the ‘World No-Tobacco Day’ on Wednesday highlighting the devastating impact of tobacco consumptions on families.

According to research organisation Progga, families, where tobacco is consumed, spend five percent of their monthly income on buying tobacco and another 10 percent on treating the illnesses caused by tobacco consumption.

By 2030, the number of deaths caused by tobacco will grow over eight million, and third world countries like Bangladesh will have to bear the consequences, said a statement of Progga.

Progga has called for steps to cut down tobacco consumption to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.  This year’s theme of the day was ‘Tobacco - a threat to development’.

Leaders worldwide have pledged to fulfil 169 promises to attain the 17 SDGs by the year 2030, it said in a statement.

Citing different statistics, Progga said tobacco cultivation has increased by three times in between 2011 and 2014. Around 10 million women in Bangladesh are currently affected by passive smoking.

Meanwhile, Matthew L Myers, president, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, published a statement that says World No-Tobacco Day is focusing attention not only on tobacco's devastating toll in lives and health but also how tobacco use threatens economic development and countries' ability to achieve sustainable development goals.

The statement called for countries to act now to fully implement the proven strategies put forward by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) including "large pictorial health warnings, advertising bans, higher tobacco taxes and 100 percent smoke-free laws."

World Health Organization announced World No-Tobacco Day in 1987.