PETALING JAYA: The generational end game (GEG) Bill must consider allowing the use of smoking cessation aids and alternatives to conventional cigarettes, say harm reduction advocates.
Malaysia Society for Harm Reduction president Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said besides nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products such as nicotine patch and gum that were allowed to be sold over the counter (OTC), alternatives such as heat-not-burn (HNB) and e-cigarettes must be permitted as options for smokers trying to quit.
This, she said, should be allowed at least for a certain phase before any total nicotine ban takes place.
“The models from other countries and Malaysia have shown that OTC NRT are not really successful in undermining tobacco smoking,” she said.
The GEG in New Zealand is being done through lowering the nicotine content in tobacco and reducing the number of shops that can sell tobacco.
New Zealand’s generational ban would only prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in or after 2009.
Vaping products remain available to those 18 years and older to purchase in retail outlets. Unlike New Zealand, Malaysia has proposed adding vaping products to the generational ban.
Prof Sharifa Ezat, who is a public health expert, said there were concerns that the GEG Bill in its current form could lead to a proliferation of illicit cigarettes.
“We must be aware that the issue of illicit cigarettes is rampant in Malaysia.
“Contraband or illicit cigarettes are more dangerous but are popular because they are cheaper,” she said.
In Malaysia, the majority of smokers were from the marginalised low income population, she said.
They are meant to be helped and not stigmatised further, she added.
“The more affluent ones do not face this issue. They could always access better addiction alternatives,” she said.
Prof Sharifa Ezat said smokeless tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and HNB must be regulated by the government.
This could be done through combined efforts from ministries to control the quality of products marketed in Malaysia and also to halt the illicit tobacco trade in the country.
She also said that regulations would be a huge part of the GEG and that without them, many sellers may offer tainted or contraband smokeless tobacco products, which can also be prone to be misused.
“Examples of misuse include the addition of drugs, vitamin E acetate, diacetyl and other drugs that can predispose consumers to lung injury,” she said.
The GEG plan under the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill seeks to ban the use, sale and possession of tobacco and vape products for those born after Jan 1, 2007.
The Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entity (MOVE), citing the example of the United Kingdom, stressed the need to properly regulate alternative products so that smokers have the option to quit smoking.
“As we have seen in the past decade, simply ‘forcing’ smokers to quit is an ineffective measure.
“Less harmful alternative products have the potential to reduce the smoking population in Malaysia to four million people by 2025 through regulation and encouragement for smokers to make a switch.
“Encouraging smokers to switch from cigarettes to alternative products can help the country reduce its healthcare expenditure by RM1.3bil in 2025 alone.
“In the United Kingdom, the smoking population decreased from 14.1% to 13.8% in 2020 in line with the government’s recognition of the alternative product of vaping, where the scientific facts are assessed every year,” said MOVE.
It also said there were still many measures that Malaysia needed to implement to reduce the smoking population.
