Tobacco Industry Accused of Promoting E-cigarettes in the Name of Research

Today, on May 25, anti-tobacco organization Progga claimed that some organizations, funded by multinational tobacco companies, are promoting e-cigarettes and e-cigarette products under the guise of researching smoking alternatives.

In a statement on Wednesday, Progga said that the Bangladesh Community Empowerment Association (ACE), the UK-based Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR), and Enam Medical College are promoting a so-called tobacco harm reduction research program for diabetic patients in Bangladesh.

According to the statement, this research is funded by the Frontline organization Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW), which is financed by Philip Morris International (PMI).

"These organizations have previously engaged in such activities. They initiated a clever campaign with the support of the tobacco industry when the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) was actively amending the tobacco control law, which, if passed, would ban e-cigarettes."

Progga stated that FSFW was established in 2017, funded by PMI, and has raised serious concerns among public health and anti-tobacco activists.

After the foundation was established, the World Health Organization issued a statement saying that any involvement or collaboration with the foundation would constitute a serious conflict of interest.

"In recent years, the activities of this foundation have drawn attention in Bangladesh, which is a concerning issue," Progga said.

Some countries, including India, have decided not to cooperate with FSFW at the government level to prevent its controversial activities.

However, Bangladesh has not taken any such measures regarding this issue.

"As a signatory to the Convention, Bangladesh should also refrain from participating in FSFW according to the World Health Organization's recommendations and provide necessary and clear instructions in this regard. Meanwhile, all Bangladeshi organizations, including ACE and Enam Medical College, should avoid involving themselves with such entities that harm public health," Progga stated.