‘Speak out against smoking’

SEPANG: The Health Ministry has launched a five-year (2019 to 2025) “Speak Out” campaign to empower the community to encourage smokers to quit.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad urged the public to support the “Speak Out: Express Your Right, Protect Your Lungs” campaign to make it a success.

He said the fasting month was the best time for the people to change and the campaign’s theme is “No Tobacco and Fresh Breath Beginning Ramadan”.

“I understand not everyone can tell the smokers around them to stop,” he said.

“But I believe, with the right approach, smokers would be moved to stop if we ask in a civil manner,” he said during the campaign’s launch at the Karnival 3W (Wellness, Welfare and Women) in Sepang yesterday.

Social support from family members and friends could also motivate smokers to stop smoking, he said.

With 85% of Malaysians being non-smokers, he said, it was time for the ministry to empower them to say “no” to smoke from smokers.

“They can assist the ministry to make the campaign a success,” he said.

A study carried out by the Health Education Division on 1,430 respondents from April 4 to 28 revealed that 98.4% supported the ministry to carry out the campaign.

As many as 96% said they agreed that they should remind smokers around them to stop smoking.

He said 44% of the respondents have family members or housemates who smoke, and from the figure, 19.7% had family members or housemates who smoked in the house.

He said Communication for Behavioural Impact (Combi) teams that help fight dengue will also assist in the campaign.

Dzulkefly also repeated the government was not making a U-turn when it extended the educational enforcement for smoking in open-air eateries for another six-months until end of this year.

(No fines are imposed during this period in open-air eateries but warning notices would be issued.)

“Although most Malaysians support us, we want to strengthen the buy-in,” he said after the launch.

He said that up to March 4, there were 25,791 warning notices issued to smokers, 200,887 educational enforcement activities carried out while 90,078 premises checked.

He said the delay on the compound imposed were targeted at smokers at public eating places only; the other 22 no-smoking areas were not included and fines are imposed.

He said those who wish to quit smoking could go to www.jomquit.gov.my or call Quit Smoking Infoline 03-88834400 for information.