The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is pleased that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) will finally take effect from today — a crucial step towards reducing the health risks associated with smoking and vaping in Malaysia.
We commend the Health Minister for his commitment to the Act’s enforcement, which initially had to go through several hurdles before it was finally approved for implementation.
Going forward, it is vital that enforcement is consistent and thorough. We are especially concerned about the widespread sale of vaping products throughout the country through numerous channels including vending machines, which have been allowed to go unchecked.
Many of these vaping products sold in the market contain nicotine, leading to early addiction among minors. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2022, e-cigarette and vape use among Malaysian teens aged 13 to 17 rose from 9.8 per cent in 2017 to 14.9 per cent in 2022.
Teen vaping prevalence among males is at 23.3 per cent and 6.2 per cent among females. Enforcement of the Act by the relevant authorities on a continuous basis will be crucial to meet the intended aims of the Act.
We also hope that the Ministry of Health (MOH) will also share on how it plans to monitor and control the import and sale of vape products as certain vape liquids may contain other harmful ingredients, apart from nicotine. There must be clear guidelines on what is permissible for sale and consumption.
Public health education is also equally important, especially in raising awareness among youth about the dangers of smoking and vaping.
We urge the government to implement comprehensive public health campaigns alongside this legislation to ensure long-term success in safeguarding the health of all Malaysians.
Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira is president of the Malaysian Medical Association.
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