GEORGE TOWN: The government should raise cigarette taxes in Budget 2027 to deter youth from taking up smoking, says the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).
Highlighting figures showing that more than 43,000 schoolchildren have been identified as smokers, CAP senior education officer N.V. Subbarow urged the Finance Ministry to implement price increases to safeguard the health of future generations.
According to Subbarow, data reveals that 43,019 secondary school students and 341 primary school pupils—some as young as nine—have taken up the habit. This adds to Malaysia’s existing pool of five million smokers and 1.5 million vapers.
"This is not a healthy sign for the country," he said in a statement on Sunday (Sept 20), calling on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, to prioritise public health in the upcoming budget.
Subbarow noted that the average smoker spends around RM700 a month on tobacco products. Raising taxes would make cigarettes less affordable, thereby reducing overall consumption, encouraging current smokers to quit, and creating a financial barrier for teenagers.
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Additionally, higher tobacco taxes could help lower the government's average RM16bil annual expenditure on treating smoking-related diseases.
"The World Health Organisation recommends price and tax measures as effective ways to reduce tobacco use—a policy proven to yield positive results in many countries," Subbarow said, pointing to Singapore as an example where increased tobacco taxes successfully drove down smoking rates.
Expressing optimism, he added that CAP is confident the government will announce "healthy news" regarding cigarette taxation in Budget 2027.
