Minimum cigarette price hike to RM9 from Aug 1

PUTRAJAYA: The minimum retail price of cigarettes will be increased from RM7 to RM9 from Aug 1. The price will be increased to RM10 after a year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the decision was agreed to by the steering committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which met on Thursday.

"This is in line with the FCTC pledge that we signed in 2003," Dr Subramaniam told a press conference.

The committee also agreed to gazette all public parks and public areas in national parks as no-smoking zones.

The areas include campsites, canopy walks and observation towers.

The committee agreed to declare air-conditioned eateries as non-smoking areas.

"The implementation of these non-smoking areas will be under 'educational enforcement' for now on, and we hope to fully enforce the rule by Jan 1 next year," said Dr Subramaniam.