PETALING JAYA: The government should expedite the tabling of the new Tobacco and Smoking Control Act that seeks to ban smoking for future generations, noted 93 non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The Malaysian Green Lung Association, IKRAM Health, together with 91 NGOs and medical and professional bodies, said they fully supported the proposed generational endgame (GEG) for smoking in the country.

The GEG proposal which bans smoking and the possession of tobacco products for people born after 2005 was announced by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on Jan 15 this year.

“We want the new Act and the proposed GEG to be tabled be supported by all MPs and subsequently approved by the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara,” the statement said.

The NGOs said smoking could no longer be effectively curbed under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, under the Food Act 1983.

They noted, according to the Health Ministry’s national morbidity survey, the prevalence of smoking in Malaysia showed a very small decrease.

“This has shown the significant ineffectiveness of existing policies in controlling cigarette use.

“Such trends have shown the prevalence of smoking will not decrease if there is no policy change.

“This will continue to linger and burden the national health system and threaten the health of the people including smokers and non-smokers,” they said.

They noted that the problem had worsened since the advent of new smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and vapes.

“Adult electronic cigarette and vape users had increased from 3.2% in 2016 to 4.9% in 2019.

“If calculated based on the population, electronic cigarette or vape users have doubled from 600,000 people to 1.2 million people in just three years,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the NGOs said that implementing the GEG meant that the percentage of new smokers (conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes) would be drastically reduced.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/03/18/expedite-tabling-of-act-to-ban-smoking-govt-urged