Uphill task ending tobacco menace

Students attending an anti-tobacco event organised by CAP in 2019. The non-governmental association is concerned over the growing habit of smoking among youths.

EVEN though the number of active users of tobacco appears to be on a downward trend, more has to be done via public and private healthcare partnerships for Malaysia to achieve the ‘endgame’ of tobacco by 2045.

Penang health committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin said about one-fifth (21.3%) of Malaysians are still active users of tobacco based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, a slight reduction from 22.8% back in 2015.