Call for Legislation to Differentiate Traditional and E-Cigarettes in Malaysia

Advocates for reducing tobacco harm state that Malaysian legislators need to differentiate between traditional tobacco and electronic cigarettes in order to address Malaysia's smoking epidemic.

Lawmakers are currently reviewing a bill that would prohibit smoking and vaping for individuals born after 2007 in Malaysia. The bill is modelled after legislation in New Zealand, which unveiled a gradual smoking ban plan that will eventually cover the entire population by December 2021.

However, unlike Malaysia's proposal, New Zealand's intergenerational ban will only prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 2009, while those aged 18 and above as of 2020 will still be able to purchase e-cigarette products in retail stores.

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Samsul Ariffin, the president of a physical organization for electronic cigarettes in Malaysia, stated that "it is not feasible to ban cigarettes for adult Malaysians in the future without providing safer and viable alternatives. It is like banning both sugary and sugar-free drinks and hoping that people will quit sugar. If our political leaders are genuinely committed to eliminating deadly smoking habits, Malaysia's final legislation can only prohibit the purchase of combustible tobacco, not safer nicotine products.

According to the Asia-Pacific region's advocate for reducing tobacco harm, CAPHRA, New Zealand has encouraged smokers to quit by using electronic cigarettes, leading to a rapid decline in the country's smoking rate. Currently, New Zealand's adult daily smoking rate is 9.4%, lower than 18% in 2006-2007.

According to the Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA, Nancy Loucas, "In recent years, smoking rates in New Zealand have halved not because they have banned e-cigarettes but because they have accepted them.

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