Nancy Loucas, co-founder of the Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA), has stated that Malaysia has sent a parliamentary delegation to New Zealand to determine what policies are needed to achieve a smoke-free environment.
According to Loucas, the delegation from Malaysia reminded members of the New Zealand parliament to remain focused on the issue of combustible tobacco and not attempt to reintroduce the 2020 legislation on e-cigarettes, which is still ongoing.
New Zealand has achieved a smoke-free environment by limiting the number of retailers selling combustible tobacco products. The goal is to reduce the appeal and addictiveness of tobacco products and prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in or after 2009. Malaysia has followed suit with a similar plan. However, Malaysia's Health Minister has proposed adding electronic cigarette products to the "generation ban," which has been criticized by Malaysia's electronic cigarette industry group.
According to percentages, Malaysia has more than twice as many smokers as New Zealand. Ms. Loucas hopes that the visiting delegation can convey a clear message to Malaysia, that without providing safer and feasible alternatives, achieving a smoke-free goal is impossible.
The AVCA has stated that the overall smoking rate in New Zealand has rapidly decreased over the past decade due to the active encouragement of public health authorities to quit smoking through the use of vaping.
In fact, the overall adult daily smoking rate in New Zealand has decreased from 18% in 2006/07 to 9.4% in 2020/21.
The regulation of e-cigarettes in New Zealand may not be perfect, but the fact is that adult smokers in New Zealand who are eager to quit can assess effective alternatives through retail stores. They don't have to break the law, and they know that the products they purchase comply with safety standards," she said.
Ms. Loucas stated that AVCA (The Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy) is in support of the latest smoke-free legislation in New Zealand. Along with the 2020 e-cigarette laws and regulations, New Zealand aims to achieve a smoke-free New Zealand by 2025, with 5% or less of the general population being regular smokers.
Samsul Arrifin, the CEO of MOVE, hopes that the Malaysian delegation will consider adopting New Zealand's smoke-free initiatives. "Malaysia's legislation only prohibits the purchase of combustible tobacco, not safer nicotine products. With 21% of Malaysians smoking, feasible, harm-reducing, and legal alternatives should be provided. Only by following a similar model to New Zealand can Malaysia achieve its national goal of reducing overall smoking rates fourfold by 2040, to below 5%," stated Samsul Arrifin.
In recent years, the number of smokers in New Zealand has decreased by half because politicians, health officials, and organizations have recognized e-cigarettes as an effective tool for quitting smoking rather than banning them. According to Nancy Lucas, if Malaysia takes smoking seriously, they would do the same.
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