Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Says Parliament Is Last Stop Towards A Tobacco-Free Generation
Generational End Game is a ban on the sale of cigarette products to individuals born after 2005.
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Despite earlier objections, the main stakeholders, including vape operators, have agreed to the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill (RUU).
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin hopes the bill will get full support from all members of Parliament (MPs) when it is presented for the first reading next week.
The goal is to reduce the number of new smokers and eventually eliminate smokers in Malaysia, in a move called Generational End Game.
If approved, the bill will prevent the sale of cigarettes, tobacco, and vape products to individuals born after 2005.
Khairy would hold a meeting with all MPs in the Dewan Rakyat next week, in conjunction with the first reading of the bill.
I ask all MPs not to object to this bill; if the main stakeholders have agreed, I hope all members of Parliament will also agree.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin urging MPs to support the bill.
The bill was ten years in the making, in part due to various challenges.
There had been talks of black market tobacco sales and poor enforcement.
Simultaneously, some argued that people should have the freedom to choose.
Usaha industri tembakau menggagalkan generational EndGame https://t.co/gnbE1aRAWY
— Fahmi Hassan RPh (@Fahmibinhassan) July 22, 2022
Nod From Associations And NGOs
51 Islamic associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) support the government’s efforts to introduce the new Tobacco and Smoking Control Act to create a generation free from smoking.
They described the situation as burdensome because the country had to bear the cost of treating the disease, about RM16 billion a year.
The country is also suffering huge losses due to their productivity loss. More than 27,000 deaths of Malaysians each year are related to smoking habits.
Over 15 per cent of patients are admitted to national hospitals due to disease complications caused by smoking habits, such as heart disease, chronic pulmonary disease and cancer.
Unfortunately, the illnesses and deaths that occur not only involve smokers.
Tinggalkan je sis. 4 tahun tipu tk rasa bersalah mcm gampang. Rokok tu bukan kesan kat diri sendiri je. Dah kawin, sis dan anak sedut asap tu, asma separuh mati, masuk spital Kejap2. klau laki tu mati awal tkpe, klau mati lambat, terlantar paru2 rosak, sape nak tanggung family
— Izhar Sulaiman (@IzharBSulaiman) July 16, 2022
Collateral Damage
Also in danger are non-smokers who are often exposed to stale cigarette smoke, especially children and women.
They argue that the Malays are the highest smokers among adults in Malaysia.
The states with the highest number of smokers are states with a majority Muslim population, such as Kedah and Terengganu.
The advent of electronic cigarettes or vaping since 2015 has added to this burden on the country because there are also new diseases such as e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI).
Apa tindakan yang boleh diambil terhadap mereka yang menjual racun cecair vape yang menyebabkan EVALI? Ada banyak perkongsian mengenai anak muda yang tebuk dada disebabkan vape. Bagaimana pengguna tahu jika sesuatu cecair vape yang dibeli ‘selamat’ digunakan?
— Ooi Beng Cheang (@luxentX) July 21, 2022
The emergence of EVALI is very worrying because the number of vape users in the country is so high.
The Islamic associations and NGOs regretted that the consumers and entrepreneurs involved in this new smoking product are also mostly Muslims.
Tak merokok sebab budak2 sekarang isap vape only..isap vape lagi bahaya dari merokok let be honest.. https://t.co/CKTACYGFu1
— HR (@herorasta2) July 22, 2022
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Vape Entity Organization (Move) has welcomed the move to monitor the vaping industry.
Move president Samsul Kamal Ariffin told TRP that vaping is safer than smoking.
The difference between smoking and vaping is that smoking delivers nicotine by burning tobacco, which can cause smoking-related illnesses.
Move will assist the authorities in monitoring against illicit vaping products as illegal sellers capitalise on booming demand.
Move president Samsul Kamal Ariffin to TRP on countering illicit, black-market vapor products.
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