Health and family welfare ministry has uploaded the draft rules of the amended the smoking and tobacco product usage (control) act on the ministry’s website and sought public opinions on the rules, the officials said on Thursday. The draft rules were uploaded on Wednesday and would be kept available up to November 20 at www.mohfw.gov.bd, they said.After the deadline ends, the rules would be reviewed considering public opinions and sent to the ministry of law for vetting, they said, adding that it would likely be approved by the ministry within December next.
If there are opinions and recommendations on the rules, they will be sent through letter to deputy secretary (world health) room 327, building 3 at the ministry of health and family welfare of the secretariat, or through email dswho@mohfw.gov.bd by November 20, said a circular signed by Md Azam-e-Shadat, deputy secretary of the ministry.
A senior official of the ministry told New Age that the drafted rules would determine pictorial health warning on 50 per cent areas of tobacco packages, fix the area of smoking zones at the public transport and public places and specify formation, authority and activities of the national tobacco control cell.
On 29 April 2013, parliament passed the Smoking and Tobacco Product Usage (Control) Act of 2005 with amendments by adding tough tobacco control measures.
The measures include a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertisement promotion and sponsorship, a ban on sale to and by minors, and a ban on use of misleading descriptors (like ‘light’ and ‘mild’) on tobacco packs.
The amendment has brought smokeless tobacco products including powdered tobacco (gul) and chewing tobacco (jarda and khoinee) under the purview of this law so that all regulations will equally apply to smokeless tobacco products.
All tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, either direct or indirect, including at point-of-sale, is banned by the new law.
-With New Age input
