KUALA LUMPUR, October 9 – Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said that heated tobacco products (HTP) and e-cigarettes habits are becoming more rampant among school students.
“Malaysia aims to combat new smoking products such as HTPs and e-cigarettes which have become increasingly popular among our youth especially those at school going age,” he said in his intervention note on the agenda for the Regional Action Plan for Tobacco Control in Western Pacific (2020-2030) during the World Health Organization’s 70th session of the regional committee for western pacific region.
Agreeing to the draft of the Regional Action Plan for Tobacco Control in Western Pacific (2020-2030), he said that the draft is in line with Malaysia’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tobacco Control 2015- 2020 and upcoming NSP 2021-2025.
On behalf of Malaysia, he also consented to four strategic areas of actions, which are prioritizing tobacco control in all relevant policies; accelerating implementation of tobacco control measures; gearing up for emerging challenges in tobacco control; and applying government and society approaches to tobacco control.
“Apart from that, Malaysia is developing a new act to control various kinds of tobacco products that includes both the traditional and new emerging products,” he further added.
“This Act will be tabled at the Malaysian Parliament by early 2020. The National goal is to achieve the status of a Smoke Free Country by 2045.”
Meanwhile Dr Lee Boon Chye, deputy minister for health also said the Ministry of Health (MOH) is looking into whether Malaysia would ban the use of vape and electronic cigarettes entirely.
MOH is also said to be looking at banning online sales and advertising of these products.
