Helping smokers quit should be part of end game

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia must also come up with solid plans to manage tobacco addiction besides just imposing a blanket ban on smoking and vaping, said a public health expert.

Malaysia Society for Harm Reduction chairman Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said a strong mechanism needs to be put in place to help chronic smokers kick the habit.

“While the government’s proposed generational end game (GEG) is to impose a total ban on cigarettes and smoking for youngsters who are born after 2007 is good, there needs to be a mechanism where chronic smokers can fall back on.

“We need to help those who already have tobacco or nicotine addiction to quit, and for this, we should encourage the usage of harm reduction products that can assist with this,” said Dr Shariza, a public health professor from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

She said countries like New Zealand and Britain have allowed vaping – albeit with some regulation – to help smokers quit smoking.

Dr Shariza added that there should not be a total ban on cigarette alternatives if it could genuinely be used to help someone with the addiction.

“Even with a total prohibition on tobacco products, people will still find a way to gain access to it or find illicit products.

“So for those with addiction, we need them to switch from cigarettes to less harmful products. In the long run, they would quit altogether, that is the end game.

“Until we come to a point where we can say we have won the war against tobacco, we need to keep these options that help addicts,” said Dr Shariza.

While acknowledging the Health Ministry may offer some products under its Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), she said having more options will be beneficial to help those trying to quit smoking.

“We have had NRT for many years and has it helped to stop addiction totally?

“Also, NRT may be given to smokers for free at the hospital the first time. But subsequently, they have to buy it, and it is not cheap,” said Dr Shariza, who nonetheless argued that vaping and ecigarettes need to be regulated, such as done in countries like Britain.

“In Malaysia, vape products are not currently regulated, so the products that you find on the market today could be harmful.

“Sometimes, products are listed as ‘no nicotine’, but there is no regulatory body to certify that.

“Britain has some of the best guidelines which Malaysia can follow. For example, they restrict ecigarette tanks to a capacity of no more than 2ml, while certain ingredients, including colourings, are banned while labels must come with warnings.

“This is something the Health Ministry must strongly look into.”

The GEG Bill aims to ban smoking and the sale of tobacco products to people born from 2007 onwards.

The Bill is expected to be re-tabled in the October parliamentary session.