The Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (BENDSTA) and the Consumer Rights of Sales Alternatives (CORSA) organized a human chain on Saturday, followed by the submission of a referendum to the chief adviser's residence, calling for a regulatory framework.
According to BENDSTA, there is a potential decision to impose restrictions on the import of electronic nicotine delivery systems under the Import Policy Order.
The human chain was a protest against this decision.
Proposed regulation
BENDSTA provided a four-point proposal to develop a fair regulatory structure for the electronic nicotine delivery system.
- Reconsider the ban on importing ENDS products and formulate regulatory policies for these products based on scientific research.
- Develop an inclusive policy framework by engaging stakeholders such as traders, importers, users, and health experts.
- Establish specific regulations for product importation, quality control, and licensing to prevent the entry of substandard and illegal products into the market.
- Enforce strict age restrictions to prevent access by minors, along with stringent laws to address violations of these age limits.
BENDSTA General Secretary Rezwan Ahmed told Dhaka Tribune: "The concern they are addressing is sales to youth. However, a significant portion of the market selling to minors consists of unregulated businesses and street vendors."
Rezwan said: "If the legal structure is turned off, naturally the consumers will be pushed to the black market.
"We cannot view it in isolation by focusing solely on its harms; we need to compare it with smoking combustible cigarettes and consider it as a harm reduction tool," he added.
Rezwan said: “We are not saying that vaping is harmless. What we are saying is that people who are already smoking (cigarettes) are at the peak of health impact. We are reducing their harm by shifting them to vape.”
Rezwan also said that some organizations fed disinformation to the tobacco control ordinance amending committee.
Upon asking about regulation measures for selling e-cigarettes to minors and non-smokers, Rezwan said: "Many countries face the same challenge. After Thailand banned vapes, the market shifted, and the products are now being sold on the footpaths."
Perspective of anti-tobacco activists
Anti-tobacco activists say that vaping is ultimately harmful to the human body.
Shah Md Bodrul Hasan of the Anti Tobacco Initiative (ATI) told Dhaka Tribune: "Ultimately, the impact of vapes is not negligible. In contrast, the impact will be greater if they are banned."
He added: "When the smoke is in front of people who do not like it, it becomes problematic."
"The trendy individuals believe this is better than cigarettes, but it is not. If it were, developed countries would not have banned it."
Hasan said: "Many drugs are banned in Bangladesh, but that does not mean they are absent from the country."
He emphasized the need for strict regulations for the ban to be effective.
According to Hasan, minors are drawn to vapes because they do not leave a long-term smell on their mouth, clothes, or books.
He also addressed the issue of both cigarettes and vapes being sold to minors, even when they are in school uniforms.
Hasan also commented on the policy regarding the restriction of tobacco and vape product sales to minors in school dress.
Unstructured business and product quality
Disposable vape products and refillable devices are also being sold at corner cigarette shops, online pages and various stores in the capital.
BENDSTA is referring to these as unstructured businesses.
According to them, these unstructured businesses are selling to minors.
A recent study found 276 e-cigarette points of sale. Among them, only 26.4% are dedicated vape shops.
Rezwan said: "If we stop selling, at least 50% of the users will turn to these products instead of switching to cigarettes. It will spread throughout society, making it very difficult for the government to control."
According to Rezwan, these shops do not have certified products.
In contrast, the products they sell have Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or Restriction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS).
Dhaka Tribune attempted to contact several corner cigarette stores to inquire about the sources of their products, but they declined to comment.
Disposable vapes
According to Rezwan, when someone uses refillable pods or vape atomizers, they need to have a certain level of knowledge. However, using disposable vapes does not require such expertise, which is why they have spread widely.
In the United Kingdom, the sale of single-use disposable vapes will be banned starting in June 2025.
The UK government stated that single-use vapes are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills, where their batteries can leak harmful substances such as battery acid, lithium, and mercury into the environment.
Beginning this January, Belgium will become the first European Union country to ban disposable vapes.
According to Reuters, Germany and France are also working on laws to ban single-use vapes.
