TWO doctors’ groups are at odds over moving forward with the Government’s tobacco Generation End Game (GEG) in its current form, with one group raising concerns over the policy change being a “dangerous social experiment”.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said the Health Ministry should “press on” with the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022, despite brickbacks from the tobacco and vape industry.
“We understand that certain industry groups may be unhappy about the move, but we believe it is time Malaysians prioritise health and embrace a healthy lifestyle,” MMA president Dr Koh Kar Chai said in a statement today (Aug 1).
“Many have spoken and given their support for this move, which, if implemented, will give untold relief to the healthcare system in the years to come,” he added.
Dr Koh said the GEG will prevent addiction to smoking or vaping products like cigarettes and e-cigarettes, which is an “extremely difficult disease” to treat.
“We all know and can see for ourselves that kids as young as 14 are experimenting with cigarettes and vaping products,” he said. “By the time they hit their 20s, they could very well be addicted, if not already so while in their teens.
“Even with the ban of the sale of cigarettes to those 18 years and below, we were not able to prevent new generations from smoking,” he added.
“With proper implementation, enforcement and public support, we believe GEG will be effective in curbing a future of smokers and vapers.”
Dr Koh urged MPs not to let the “majority down”, adding that parents too should support the GEG if they “want the best for their children”.
However, the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) noted that countries that have successfully outlawed smoking for the next generation spent decades preparing for the move.
FPMPAM president Dr Steven Chow said New Zealand and Australia spent time implementing sustainable policies, regulations and Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) programmes before enacting their respective GEGs.
“Don’t disregard the data”
“We have yet to embark on any meaningful THR programmes in Malaysia,” Dr Chow said in a statement.
Dr Chow also said the Bill seems to have “totally disregarded” the “overwhelming” scientific data that THR programmes work with proper regulatory frameworks in place.
Furthermore, there are no provisions in the Bill to address the current generation of smokers and vapers with sustainable THR programmes.
“It would be worthwhile for the legislators on both sides of the house to… consider implementing policies that have been proven to work before embarking on the GEG.
“Pushing the GEG without this preparatory work will be a dangerous social experiment,” Dr Chow said, adding that he does agree with the goal of the Bill.
Dr Chow, meanwhile, criticised the potential criminalisation of children caught in possession of a cigarette or a vaping device, saying this approach is “unlikely to work in the long run”.
Like all addictions, he said, they are amenable to proper medical intervention and treatment by specially-trained professionals – not by criminalisation of the addict.
Dr Chow added that based on FPMPAM’s experience with community-based medical treatment for opioid addiction, a trained, nationwide network of general practitioners (GPs) and family physicians are the best people for the job.
“However, there are no provisions in the Bill to facilitate and to empower medical professionals for this task (being the first point of care for children caught experimenting with smoking and vaping),” he noted.
The Government’s GEG plan proposes penalising the sale of cigarettes, tobacco and vape to anyone born after 2007 with a maximum RM20,000 fine to sellers.
The Bill also provides a maximum RM5,000 fine to those possessing, buying or smoking cigarettes or e-cigarette products – i.e., teenagers and children currently aged 15 years and younger.
Despite concerns being raised over potential abuse of power and disproportionate criminal punishments for juveniles, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is pushing the Bill forward in an effort to reduce treatment costs for the Government and save future lives. – Aug 1, 2022
