Flashback #Star50: When smoking was banned at eateries

Loud and clear: Eatery operators were required to prominently display ‘no-smoking’ posters at their premises.

Big news: The Star’s reports on the smoking ban.

SMOKERS were indignant, but non-smokers rejoiced.

Malaysia enforced a no-smoking ruling at all eateries and restaurants nationwide on Jan 1, 2019.

Under the new ruling, facilities for smokers such as smoking rooms and ashtrays were prohibited. Besides tobacco products, vape and shisha with nicotine were also included in the ban.

However, smokers were permitted to light up three metres away from the establishments.

For a smoker like Roslan Abdullah, the ban was bad news for him initially.

“I was a one-pack-in-two-days kind of guy. The no-smoking rule was definitely inconvenient. It was annoying,” said Roslan, 30.

He had enjoyed spending time at the mamak restaurant where it was so convenient for him to whip out a cigarette.

“With the ban, I had to walk out often for a puff. It felt awkward,” said Roslan, who is an economic researcher.

Gradually, he found that the ruling helped him to cut down on the habit.

“From a habitual smoker, I became a casual smoker. I would only smoke when I was with friends.

“Eventually, I stopped smoking altogether,” said Roslan, who started smoking in 2010.

The prohibition came under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulation 2004, which was amended in December 2018 to expand the smoking ban to cover non air-conditioned and outdoor eateries such as open-air hawker centres and street stalls. Previously, only air-conditioned restaurants were smoke-free.

Eatery operators were required to prominently display “no-smoking” posters that were at least 40cm x 50cm in size, at their premises.

Those caught smoking in prohibited areas could be fined up to RM10,000 or face two years’ jail while eateries found to have allowed customers to light up would be slapped with a maximum fine of RM2,500.

According to the Health Ministry, Malaysia is targeting a smoking prevalence of 15% by 2025 and less than 5% by 2045. In 2019, the smoking prevalence stood at 23%.

The ruling is not only to encourage smokers to kick the habit, but also to protect non-smokers from the effects of secondhand smoke.

Prohibitions to smoking is nothing new to Malaysia, which as party to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, is committed to protecting everyone against exposure to tobacco smoke in public areas.

A smoking ban was first implemented in 1982 when all government premises in the country were made smoke-free.

In 1993, smoking was banned in air-conditioned restaurants nationwide, with 50% of the space allowed for smoking with certain conditions.

Four years later, the Control of Tobacco Products Regulation 1993 was amended with 50% space for smoking abolished and all air-conditioned restaurants made totally smoke-free.

The Food Safety and Hygiene Regulation 2009 under the Food Act prohibited all food handlers such as cooks and waiters from smoking while working to prevent food contamination.

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