ABSTRACT
Tobacco is an important public health problem of Bangladesh having both high production and consumption. Police are engaged in enforcement of the tobacco control law. For effective enforcement of national tobacco control law (NTCL), they should have sound knowledge of tobacco control law and their attitude to the tobacco control law must be a positive one. The objective of the study was to explore the status of knowledge and attitude regarding national tobacco control law and practice of tobacco smoking among Bangladesh Police. The descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 440 members of Bangladesh Police during the period of March 2015 to November 2015. Police personnel of different ranks were interviewed randomly using a semi-structured questionnaire from the selected SP offices, police lines, police stations and police camps. Among the respondents 414(94.1%) were male and 26(5.9%) were female. About half (214, 48.6%) of the respondents never smoked in life, while 226(51.4%) smoked in life even one or two puffs. There was no female among the ever smokers. One quarter (114, 25.9%) of the respondents ever smoked but quitted and 112(25.4%) respondents were currently smoker. Among the current smokers 31(7.0%) were occasional, while 81 (18.4%) were daily smoker. It was observed that there was lack of knowledge among police personnel regarding various rules and clauses of national tobacco control law. Most of the respondents (434, 98.6%) showed positive attitude regarding rationality of prohibition of smoking in public places and public transports. The most of the respondents (418, 95.0%) agreed that there should not be any advertisement of tobacco products in cinema hall, radio and television channel. A highest majority (377, 85.7%) of the respondents gave their opinion that Government should increase taxes on tobacco products. Most of the respondents (433, 94.4%) opined against the selling of tobacco products to the minor. Almost every respondent (436, 99.1%) wanted proper implementation of tobacco control law. Nearly half of the respondents (213, 48.4%) thought that smoking among police was one of the obstacles in effective implementation of tobacco control law. An overwhelming majority of the respondents (435, 98.9%) agreed that police personnel should not smoke tobacco for keeping their health and fitness and thereby for better performance. Almost all respondents (436, 99.1%) gave a positive opinion that police personnel may be a role model for the public by not smoking tobacco. Most of the respondents (427, 97.1%) think that orientation or training program on tobacco control law should be arranged for police personnel. More than one fourth (25.5%) of the police personnel in Bangladesh are currently smokers and this should be intervened. Smoke-free police station initiative is started but not being 100% implemented. Lack of knowledge regarding various rules and clauses of NTCL was sufficient enough to draw intervention in this regard. Positive attitude of police personnel towards NTCL and smoke free police station initiative will help to implement tobacco control law properly.
