THE Health Ministry’s (MOH)-proposed Generation End Game (GEG) policy for cigarettes/vape should be reviewed as it not only prohibits sales of tobacco products to anyone born after Jan 1, 2007 but also prevents anyone born after that date from working in any business premises that sells or distributes such products.
Such directive, according to the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) president Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, will burden industry players when finding employees.
Yesterday (July 28), the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) of Health, Science and Innovation recommended the GEG policy which is an integral part of the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill to be delayed by three years to “strengthen preparations” for effective implementation and to prepare for a “proper” inter-governmental enforcement framework.
The Bill was presented for the first reading in the current Parliament session by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on Wednesday (July 27).
Adzwan further argued that a review of the Bill is imminent as it equates cigarettes with vaping when both are two different products.
“A lot needs to be reviewed. Smoking is not the same as vape but vape is interpreted as equivalent to smoking in the Bill,” he pointed out.
“This sends a very wrong message to vape users and the public. In fact, the contents of vape products should not be interpreted as smoking substances because vape products or their contents are not directly related to cigarettes.”
Urging the Government to take proper measures to differentiate between vaping and cigarettes in this bill, Adzwan noted that “this is something that was also discussed at the engagement session with the Health Minister recently”.
“In countries such as New Zealand and the UK, the regulations and interpretations for vape are different from cigarettes,” he revealed. “This is because the countries took steps to reduce the harm of smoking by making vape a smoking cessation tool. In fact, they (even) advise smokers to stop smoking through vaping.”
As such, MRECA urges the Government and MPs to review this bill as it will have a major impact on all players in the industry even though it is intended to uphold the health and well-being of Malaysians, in particular the future generation. – July 29, 2022
Main photo credit: Malaysia Trend
