THERE must be political will and strong commitment on the part of policymakers and every individual to ensure the successful implementation of the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022.
Oftentimes, many of our well-intentioned plans are derailed by poor implementation. With an ambitious plan like the generational smoking ban, which has yet to be implemented anywhere else in the world, the Government needs to double up its efforts to ensure proper execution.
Constant dialogues with stakeholders like schools, coffee shop owners, local authorities, vape retailers and the enforcement officers, among others, are crucial.
Tobacco smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer worldwide. According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) published in 2020, lung cancer deaths in Malaysia reached 4,319 or 2.57% of total deaths.
On the other hand, Malaysia’s 2020 report to the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) shows that its smoking rates have barely declined, dropping only by 1.5% from 22.8% in 2015 to 21.3% in 2019 among individuals aged 15 years and older.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019 estimates that 4.9 mil Malaysians aged 15 years and older currently smoke. Four in 10 men smoke, compared to just about 1% of women.
Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) supports the tobacco Generational End Game (GEG) in line with efforts to make Malaysia a tobacco-free country by 2040, and will do its part to achieve this target.
Apart from the easy availability of tobacco products in the country, the authorities must also beef up efforts to ensure illegal cigarettes and related products do not make their way into our market.
According to the Illegal Tobacco Trade 2021 Malaysia report, Malaysian authorities seized a total 40 mil sticks of illegal cigarettes in 2020, whereas a total of 84 mil sticks were seized from anti-smuggling operations in coastal areas in the first quarter of 2021 alone.
Health risks
Smoking causes diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smoking is also a known cause of erectile dysfunction in men.
The cost of treating major smoking-related diseases in Malaysia is estimated at RM3 bil a year, and according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, cigarette smoking would cost the Government RM8 bil to treat lung cancer, heart problems and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 2030.
Apart from the health risks, high smoking prevalence among men will subsequently dampen national progress and affect our economy.
PBM also calls on the authorities to act decisively against the vaping industry, following the footsteps of other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
As doctors have repeatedly pointed out, vaping has just as many negative health effects as smoking.
In terms of cancer risk, there is no reduction if you vape. Choosing between smoking and vaping is like choosing between getting hit by a truck or falling out of a plane; the results are the same.
On our part, we will work with all relevant authorities, agencies and also non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to continue creating awareness, especially among the younger generation of the risks of smoking and vaping.
We will also carry out more campaigns in rural areas as smoking has been reported to be more prevalent in such areas. – July 30, 2022
Dr Daroyah Alwi is the PBM Wanita chief and Sementa state assemblyperson.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia
