2FIRSTS | Bangladesh Industry Association Calls for Regulated Framework Instead of Vape Ban
The Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Traders Association (BENDSTA) advocates for regulating e-cigarettes instead of banning them, citing positive outcomes in countries with such frameworks.Summary
The Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Traders Association (BENDSTA) held a press conference on April 9th, urging the government to adopt a regulated framework for e-cigarettes rather than an outright ban. They presented data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey, which showed a decline in youth e-cigarette use to 5.20% and overall tobacco use to 7.50% in the United States. BENDSTA highlighted that 78.80% of countries globally (156 out of 198) already permit the use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) under some form of legal regulation. The association argues that bans strengthen black markets and increase the availability of unregulated, higher-risk products, while regulated frameworks can lead to positive public health outcomes by helping smokers switch to less harmful alternatives. They believe Bangladesh has an opportunity to revise its tobacco control ordinance to create such a framework, balancing public health with economic stability.
(Source：2Firsts)
