Malaysia’s smoking ban proposal aims to reduce cancer risk, but the Bill divides opinion

WHAT THE BILL ENTAILS 

Under the Bill are usually clauses that stop the sale of smokes, tobacco and vape products to anybody born in the season 2007 and after.    

Any individual found guilty of this could be fined not more than RM20, 000 or jailed not more than one year or both for their 1st offence.

Individuals guilty of subsequent similar offences can be fined up to RM30, 000 or given a jail term of not more than two years, or both.

A company guilty of the first offence, meanwhile, can be fined between RM20, 000 and RM100, 000 or even jailed two years, while further similar offences can see them fined between RM50, 000 and RM300, 1000 and jailed up to three years.

Originally, the particular ministry had planned in order to ban the sale for tobacco and related products for those born after 2005 but Mr Khairy announced that this would be changed to 3 years ago after hearing views during stakeholder events.

He mentioned this would allow additional time for community education and learning, a robust implementation plan and ramped up enforcement.    

The suggested law also bans those born after 2007 from buying, possessing, or cigarette smoking and other related products, with those discovered guilty of doing so are liable to a fine as high as RM5, 000.    

Shopkeepers and retailers are not allowed to display cigarette products, smoking devices as well as their substitutes.

The suggested law also forbids advertisements of cigarettes products or ingredients.

Other elements in the law deal with matters such as the sign up, import, production, submission, packaging and the labeling of tobacco and related products.

Mr Khairy also said in his video that with the brand new law, the ecigarette or vape market can be regulated, something that was supported simply by industry players.          

“We can make sure that the vape liquids being sold are controlled properly, lab-tested and that means you don’t get unwell, ” he mentioned, adding that the professionals are expecting to collect around RM500 million of taxes on vape.

Dr Helmy Haja Mydin, who will be the technical consultant for the ministry’s effort, told CNA that this Bill aims to reduce the prevalence associated with smoking to beneath 5 per cent simply by 2040.

This really is outlined by Malaysia’s obligation to the content under the World Wellness Organization (WHO) Platform on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which the country ratified in 2005.