Set an example and stop smoking, vaping in Parliament, Deputy Health Minister tells MPs

KUALA LUMPUR: Refrain from smoking in public places like the Parliament House if you are serious about tackling the smoking and vape epidemic in Malaysia, Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni told MPs.

The Deputy Health Minister reminded the representatives that combating the habits of smoking and vaping among people begins with the lawmakers themselves taking the first step.

“If we are truly serious about getting rid of vaping and smoking habits, it needs to start at Parliament itself.

“I urge all MPs to avoid vaping or smoking in premises like Parliament House, and find a more suitable place (to smoke),” he said in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 14).

Lukanisman said 38,010 secondary students were found to be smokers after the Health Ministry carried out a screening programme for 1.54 million secondary school students across the country in 2023.

The screening, called Oral Health Tobacco-Free (KOTAK) programme, also found that 374 pupils had developed the unhealthy habit out of 2,413,761 primary school pupils screened.

He said that they have been given intervention to curb their smoking habit.

“In cooperation with the Education Ministry, we have trained 141 school counsellors and teachers involved in drug prevention education (PPDA) on how to deal with students who smoke,” he added.

He also revealed that the prevalence of vaping among women was on the rise from 2.8% in 2017 to 6.2% in 2022.

Lukanisman was replying to a question from Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar) on the success of the ministry’s efforts in reducing youth dependence on cigarettes and vapes.

To this, he said that the ministry was also developing a plain packaging policy for both cigarettes and vape products.

“This includes vape products’ specifications such as the shape of the products that are allowed to be sold by the industry.”

He added that the ministry had carried out 129 engagements with NGOs and local authorities on the formation of policies to help curb smoking and vaping in open areas.