Workshop at JU highlights youth role in strengthening tobacco control

A half-day workshop titled "The Role of Youth in Strengthening Tobacco Control Laws to Safeguard Public Health" was held yesterday at the Wazed Miah Science Research Center of Jahangirnagar University. The event was jointly organised by the Department of Public Health and Informatics and the Development Organization of the Rural Poor (DORP).

The workshop focused on raising awareness among students about the harmful impacts of tobacco use, the current tobacco-related situation in Bangladesh, and existing legal frameworks and policies for tobacco control. During the session, organisers also proposed the formation of a Jahangirnagar University Anti-Tobacco Club to further mobilise student engagement in anti-tobacco advocacy.

In an interactive exchange of ideas, participating students discussed innovative approaches to strengthen tobacco control efforts in Bangladesh. Faculty members in attendance expressed hope that students would actively contribute to making the campus legally tobacco-free through awareness campaigns and advocacy.

Dr Md Sakhawat Hossain, Chair of the Department of Public Health and Informatics, delivered the welcome speech and presided over the session. He noted, “Most students enter university as non-smokers, but many fall into the habit of smoking due to peer pressure and other factors. The 30 student participants here today have been encouraged to act as ambassadors to discourage their peers from smoking and to prevent others from picking up the habit.”

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