54pc of tobacco packs defy health warning directives

A total of 54 percent of tobacco packs in Bangladesh defy health warning label printing directives, a recent survey reveals.

Tobacco Pack Surveillance System Cigarette Health Warning Compliance (TPackSS) in a partnership with the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programme (BCCP) conducted data collection in three major cities -- Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong.

During this survey, they purchased 191 different cigarette packs from September 23 to October 2 in 2013.

A press release sent on Thursday by Progga, an NGO, said the packs were compliant with the four key health warning label (HWL). But there was high usage of English on packs.

In the release, they gave an example of a cigarette brand saying that pack was compliant with the four key HWL requirements in Bangla. But they use English language exclusively on the rest of the pack. The exclusive use of English words on the pack, the inspirational sentiment to “Live the story”. And the marketing appeal of a “Limited Edition” potentially undermines the health warning label.

Exposure to current best practice HWLs provided in Bangla can improve the effectiveness of HWLs in Bangladesh.