BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than 8 million people a year around the world. Transnational tobacco companies play an important role in contributing to these deaths by aggressively marketing their products. Therefore, control of tobacco sales in crucial in tobacco control. This article shows how licensing measures can restrict POS in aggressive marketing of tobacco products.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: Grambangla Unnayan Committee is implementing tobacco control projects since 2018 with the support from Vital Strategies, The Union and Bloomberg Philanthropies. One of the initiatives of these projects was to develop a system for enforcement of provisions of `Tobacco control (TC) implementation guidelines for local government institutions (LGI)’ (licensing, public health tax, sales ban). During the project period a total of 18 majors, 211 councilors, 18 Secretary of municipalities, 212 Tax Officers were oriented on the provisions of LGI TC guidelines to help them make specific plan for licensing of POS, eviction of POS of tobacco those are located in 100 meters of schools or hospitals. During the period 9034 POS received notice to take license for selling tobacco in the respective municipal areas. During the period 2372 licenses were taken by the POS to sell tobacco.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: A total of 87 licensing staff of 18 LGIs received capacity building training for promoting licensing of POS to sell tobacco products and eventually a total of BDT 406,800 (USD 3362) was collected as licensing fees by 18 LGIs. Warnings were given to POS of tobacco projects to close their ​tobacco business in 6 months those are located in 100 meters of schools and hospitals.
CONCLUSIONS: Executive magistrates now operate mobile courts and fine the POS those do not have licenses for tobacco sales. Therefore many POS owners discontinued selling tobacco products.