Stricter bill to regulate smoking habit

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is expected to table a new stricter bill to regulate the smoking habit among Malaysians next year.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the current Control of Tobacco Product Regulations were not very effective in curbing the smoking habit as the regulations were placed under the Food Act.
Among the rules that are being considered to be introduced in the new bill are:
> to prohibit the selling and buying of tobacco products to minors from the current age of 18 to 21.
> the plain packaging of cigarette boxes and prohibiting the display of cigarette boxes behind a restaurant's counter
Dr Hilmi was replying to a supplementary question from Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR - Lembah Pantai) who asked on the government's efforts to address the issues surrounding passive smokers.
He said the bill has been drafted and handed to the ministry's legal office for revision.
"We have engaged with all stakeholders and will table the bill when the time comes," he added.
Dr Hilmi hoped the parliamentarians will support the bill while admitting that the 'Tak Nak Merokok" campaign initiated by the Government had failed to reduce smoking among the public.
He said a survey conducted in 2015 had shown that the smoking trend among Malaysians above 18 years old was at 24%, a minor decrease of 0.6% from the same survey made in 2011 and this was despite government allocating RM2 million for the campaign yearly since 2004.
"Although the reduction was very low and insignificant, we will not give up and we are committed to continuing the campaign," he added.
He disclosed that the World Health Organisation had targetted for Malaysia to increase the market price of cigarettes by 75% from the current price.
He said that would mean an increase of price to RM21.50 per pack from the current RM17.