The Cabinet has sent back the proposed draft of the ‘Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2023’ for further review.
“The Cabinet has advised the health ministry for further scrutiny and incorporation of stakeholders’ opinion,” informed Md. Mahbub Hossain, Cabinet Secretary at a press briefing held at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The matter was discussed during Monday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by the honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“The Cabinet has decided that the proposed amendment to the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act needs further review. They have asked for the incorporation of stakeholders’ opinion, which is why, the draft has been sent back,” Md. Mahbub Hossain told reporters present at the briefing.
The Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act was first amended in 2013, having been initially passed in 2005. Last year, the proposed amendments were presented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The amendments were initiated and proposed by the health ministry’s Health Services Division. The proposed amendments received criticism for ignoring stakeholders’ opinion during its drafting stages.
Proposed amendments include the proposal for raising fines, abolishment of smoking zones, mandatory retail license to sell tobacco, a ban on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products by street vendors among others. A prohibition on tobacco companies running ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ initiatives has also been proposed in the draft amendment.
