Malaysia delays anti-smoking legislation under pressure

According to Malaysia's electronic cigarette organization (MOVE), the Health Minister has postponed the "tobacco endgame" anti-smoking bill due to significant public and political pressure.

Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has decided not to submit the bill, even though the bipartisan parliamentary select committee is in the process of making revisions and reaching a consensus.

Samsul Arrifin, the President of MOVE, stated, "This delay has given members of Congress the time they need to properly formulate a national tobacco control strategy. We firmly believe that smoking should not be the final issue in intergenerational games. This will only condemn smokers and retailers.

MOVE is hoping to exempt vacuum cleaners and non-flammable products from legal regulations and is requesting that the government recognize them as tools that reduce harm.

In April, advocates for reducing tobacco harm (THR) were encouraged when regulations regarding smoking devices were announced to take effect in August. It is speculated that this move will precede the legalization of electronic cigarette sales in Malaysia.

Last month, a Malaysian parliamentary delegation visited New Zealand to learn about the policies necessary to achieve a smoke-free environment and were inspired by what they saw. New Zealand has legalized and regulated the sale of e-cigarettes and is making progress towards its national goal of being smoke-free by 2025, where 5% or less of the population smokes regularly.

New Zealand is also seeking to implement a similar generational smoking ban, prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to individuals born after 2009. However, Malaysia's proposal for individuals born after 2007 includes a ban on the sale of e-cigarette products.

Arrifin stated that New Zealand's smoking rate is less than half of Malaysia's, due to their regulations that only allow the retail of tobacco products to adults. He also mentioned that New Zealand actively encourages smokers to use safer nicotine products, which has been very effective in reducing smoking rates. Arrifin believes that if Malaysia wants to reduce its smoking rate to below 5% by 2040, regulation rather than prohibition of tobacco products is the way forward.

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has stated that about 70 countries have demonstrated the efficacy of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) methods. In contrast, Australia is demonstrating the severity of the failure of its e-cigarette ban.

Nancy Loucas, the coordinator for CAPHRA, has stated that the regulation of smoking in Malaysia will not only provide a less harmful alternative for 21% of smokers, but will also ensure safety standards for tobacco products and additional tax revenue. The government's evidence-based approach towards this issue is valued and will provide effective service.

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