Urgent need for new law in tobacco control

PETALING JAYA: It is “extremely urgent” for the Tobacco Products and Smoking Control Bill to be passed in Parliament once tabled next month, says the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control.

Council secretary-general Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said ever since the Bill was discussed, all tobacco control measures had come to a standstill.

This includes measures such as extending the smoking ban beyond eateries, the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes, banning the display of cigarette packs at points of sale, and increasing cigarette prices.

“Without any law regulating vape, nicotine liquid and nicotine gel, it is an open market.

“It is extremely urgent for the Tobacco Products and Smoking Control Bill to be passed in Parliament,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He also said the Bill must ensure that any smoking devices sold should be registered while the sale of vape devices with flavours or scented substances be disallowed.

Such devices mainly target children and young users, he added.

He added that the vested interests of the tobacco and vape industry should not be considered by policymakers in making public health policy decisions.

Muhammad Sha’ani said the Bill was in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations of banning vape and ecigarettes or including them within the tobacco control regulatory framework.