
KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 1 - A medical association has criticized the government's proposal to ban the promotion of e-cigarettes as a tobacco harm reduction alternative.
The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Association Malaysia (FPMPAM) has highlighted New Zealand and Australia's Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) plans. New Zealand's plan includes a generational tobacco ban for those born after 2009, but it exempts electronic cigarettes as they are promoted as a tool to help smokers quit. However, Malaysia's "Generational Endgame for Tobacco Products and Smoking" (GEG) proposed in the 2022 tobacco products and smoking bill prohibits the sale, possession, and consumption of tobacco products to anyone born after 2007 and also bans electronic cigarettes, regardless of whether the e-liquid contains nicotine or not.
Dr. Steven Chow, the President of FPMPAM, stated today in a release, "The bill appears to completely disregard the overwhelming scientific data that shows THR can work within an appropriate regulatory framework.
Dr. Steven Chow, Chairman of the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM)
This was extensively documented in the Royal College of Physicians' 2016 report titled "Nicotine Without Smoke: Reducing the Harm of Tobacco".
According to a report released by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in the UK, electronic cigarettes seem to be effective as a smoking cessation aid when used by smokers. The report suggests that the long-term health risks associated with inhaling e-cigarette vapour are unlikely to exceed 5% of the risks associated with smoking.
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has stated that it is necessary to regulate the use of electronic cigarettes in order to reduce their direct and indirect harmful effects. However, the RCP warns against significantly restricting the use of harm-reducing products by smokers through such regulations.
However, for public health, it is important to promote as widely as possible the use of electronic cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and other non-tobacco nicotine products as substitutes for smoking.
Dr. Zhou pointed out that section 9(1) of the 2022 Tobacco Products and Smoking Control Bill will prohibit the promotion or sponsorship of electronic cigarette products as smoking cessation aids. This will effectively prevent the dissemination of information regarding tobacco harm reduction, such as discussions on the UK's RCP report.
Individuals who fail to comply with Section 9(1) may face a fine of up to RM20,000, a maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, or both, upon first conviction. Corporate entities may be fined between RM20,000 to RM100,000, face imprisonment for a maximum of two years, or face a fine upon the first offence after conviction.
Dr. Zhou stated, "The legislators from both sides of the House should carefully review this authoritative document and consider implementing policies that have already proven effective before starting to enforce GEG.
Pushing GEG without this preparation work would be a risky social experiment.
The Malaysian Medical Association (FPMPAM) has criticized the proposal to criminalize the possession and consumption of cigarettes, tobacco or electronic cigarettes by individuals born after January 1, 2007. FPMPAM describes this as a key provision in the Tobacco Control Bill.
Once convicted, these crimes may result in fines of up to RM 5000. If the Global E-cigarette and Tobacco Law is enforced starting from 2025, this means that adolescents and children aged 18 and below who are caught smoking, using e-cigarettes, or possessing tobacco or e-cigarette devices will face enforcement and prosecution.
Smoking, vaping, and using tobacco products have significant health consequences and are addictive diseases. Like all addicts, they require appropriate medical intervention and treatment from specially trained professionals, rather than being convicted as criminals, said FPMPAM.
The medical association has pointed out that their experience in community-based treatment for opioid addiction shows that a network of specially trained national general practitioners (GPs) and family doctors is best suited to manage this issue.
For children caught attempting to smoke or use e-cigarettes, they are also the best care points. However, the bill lacks provisions to promote and authorize healthcare professionals to complete this task.
I'm sorry, but without context or a specific text to refer to, I cannot provide a translation. Please provide more information or the original text.
Disclaimer
This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.
Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.
The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.
This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.
Copyright Notice
This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.
No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.
For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.
AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice
Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.
Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.










