Dublin | June 24, 2025
At a global press briefing organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), leading international tobacco control experts called on Bangladesh to conduct tobacco use surveys more frequently. The appeal came in response to a question raised by Bangladeshi journalist Sushanta K Singha, who highlighted the decade-long gap between rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS).
Singha noted that when journalists report on tobacco using data from six or ten years ago, audiences often question the relevance and demand more recent figures—making it harder to engage the public and influence policy.
Andrew Black, Team Lead and Direct Assistant to the Parties of the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), responded by emphasizing the importance of timely, evidence-based data in shaping effective policy.
It is critical to measure tobacco use prevalence regularly, both among adults and young people. Without up-to-date data, it’s difficult to make informed decisions. WHO recommends regular monitoring to provide a solid foundation for effective national tobacco control strategies.
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