Article Details

Abstract:

This paper focuses on understating and establishing the significance of tobacco countermarketing programs in Bangladesh since the tobacco products create an unwholesome demand to the people of this society. Initially the study has gone through qualitative approach to illustrate the forms, usage and adverse health effects of tobacco. The study also attempts to present a number of countermarketing strategies, i.e., advertising, public relations, media advocacy, grassroots marketing and media literacy. Tobacco consumption status of the citizens (measured in terms of tobacco consumer and non-tobacco consumer) and form of tobacco consumption (measured in terms of smokeless tobacco consumption and smoked tobacco consumption) are investigated to assess the current scenario of unwholesome demand of tobacco products in Bangladesh. A survey has been conducted on 300 males and females of three different generations (Baby Boomer, Generation X, Generation Y) from both urban and rural locations of Bangladesh. Analyses have been carried out using cross-tabulation and hypotheses have been tested by the means of chi-square. Results unveil that a large number of people consumes tobacco products in this country. Moreover, findings indicate significant differences among the status and form of tobacco consumption regarding citizens’ demographic characteristics, i.e., gender and living area. The results confirm the significance of carrying out various long-term strategies of tobacco countermarketing to fight against its prevalence in Bangladesh.

Keywords: Smokeless tobacco, smoked tobacco, tobacco consumer, non-tobacco consumer, unwholesome demand, countermarketing.

JEL Code: M31