Ban Designated Smoking Areas to protect non-smokers’ rights, suggests study

Provision of Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) in hotels, restaurants, and trains has been ineffective, rendering non-smokers widely vulnerable to becoming victims of secondhand smoke, according to a study conducted on 118 residential hotels and 355 restaurants in Dhaka city, and 53 passenger trains. 

Among the 526 venues contacted successfully, only 41 or 8% venues had a DSA. However, none of these 41 DSAs were fully compliant with all measures required by the tobacco control law, said the study titled "Prevalence and Compliance of Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) in Hospitality Venues and Transportation in Dhaka, Bangladesh", conducted jointly by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress). 

The study findings were unveiled on Sunday at an event, titled "Building a Tobacco-free Bangladesh: Local and Global Evidence Sharing", at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel in the capital, organised by Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK), PROGGA and VOICE. Findings from a separate study on tobacco industry ill tactics, conducted by VOICE with support from CTFK, was also shared at the event.

In the presentation done by PRGGGA on DSA issue, it was informed that only 18 of the 118 residential hotels sampled in the study had a DSA. In 7 out of those 18 hotels, DSAs were not physically separated from the non-smoking area. Seven hotels required patrons to cross the DSAs to reach the services. 

The existing tobacco control law requires DSAs to be physically separated from the non-smoking areas. Seventeen of those hotels did not have required signage indicating that the space is a smoking area, as required by the law. In the 53 train rides sampled in the study, only 21 had DSAs. 

However, 7 of those 21 trains sold services (such as food, drinks etc) inside the DSAs, making non-smokers potential victims of secondhand smoke while using those services and none of the DSAs had the required signage, meaning train was found to be fully compliant with requirements of the law, said the study.

Of the 355 restaurants where the study was conducted, only 2 had DSAs and none of those 2 DSAs were fully compliant with the law. It is not possible to safeguard non-smokers from secondhand smoke and reaping benefits of smoke-free provisions while allowing DSAs in public places, hence, eliminating provision for DSAs in the tobacco control law is highly required to ensure 100% smoke-free environment.

In its presentation, VOICE also reveals its study findings that tobacco companies encourage restaurant owners to set up DSAs by providing cash incentives and other necessary equipment. Such ill tactics are the result of tobacco companies exploiting the loopholes in the existing tobacco control law.

Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, Additional Secretary (World Health Wing), Health Services Division, said at the event, "I hope the tobacco control law will soon be revamped and amended, which also include the elimination of the provision for DSAs. Thus, we can pave the way for the emergence of a tobacco-free Bangladesh."

Jaspreet Kaur Pal, Principal Consultant, South Asia Communications of CTFK, said, "The study did not find a single DSA fully compliant with the law. So, DSAs are not enforceable in the non-smoking areas. By amending the tobacco control law, Bangladesh should join the list of 67 countries that have already eliminated DSAs to protect public health from secondhand smoke." 

Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed, former chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said, "To ensure a 100% smoke-free environment, we must eliminate any provision that allows DSAs. It hinders the realization of a tobacco-free Bangladesh."

Hossain Ali Khondoker, Coordinator (Additional Secretary), National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC), Md Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor, CTFK Bangladesh and representatives of a number of anti-tobacco organisations, among others, were present at the event.

The study further said that on average 1.2 million lives are lost globally a year due to passive smoking.  According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017, 42.7% (8.1 million) of those who work in indoor workplaces are exposed to secondhand smoking on a regular basis and almost 25 million (24% of adults) are exposed to passive smoking while using some public transport. Nearly, 61,000 children suffer from different ailments due to passive smoking. Tobacco claims 161,000 lives a year in Bangladesh. Currently, a total of 67 countries including Thailand, Nepal, and Turkey have enacted and implemented 100% smoke-free law which includes elimination of DSAs.