The number of smokers has come down in the last eight years in Bangladesh, but the abuse of methamphetamine-based Yaba has gone up significantly, says State Minister for Health Zahid Maleque.
Speaking at the launching of anti-smoking campaign on Wednesday, he said, “The Yaba consignments seized accounts for only four percent of what is smuggled in to the country.”
According to Secretary to the ministry’s healthcare division Sirazul Haque Khan, a 2009 survey found 43 percent of the adults smoked. “But the latest survey of 2017 says it has come down to 35 percent. But it’s yet to be officially published.”
He, however, added the information from ground suggested that Yaba abuse has gone significantly up.
According to State Minister Maleque, between 13 and 15 percent of the population suffers from diseases related to passive smoking. “As many 150,000 people die every year due to tobacco-related diseases. 43.3 percent of the population between 15 and 68 years old smoke and the number is 43 million.”
He said that Bangladesh’s poverty rate now stands at near 20 percent, which will significantly go down if tobacco use curbed. “We have already announced to make a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.”