KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Health (KKM) will continue its efforts to reduce the dependency of teenagers or students on cigarettes, including vapes, says Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.
He said the existence of various tobacco products, especially electronic cigarettes or vapes, which are widely promoted, affects the government’s efforts to curb early exposure to cigarettes, especially among school students.
To tackle this issue, he said the government has taken concrete steps, including tightening the ban on the sale of tobacco products to minors under Section 13 of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), gazetted on Feb 2 this year.
“Additionally, laws prohibiting the advertising and sale of tobacco products, including those resembling children’s toys, have been reinforced through Act 852.
“Furthermore, compliance with Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is ensured, which stipulates that Malaysia, as a member state, must implement tobacco control and protect such policies from commercial and tobacco industry interests based on national laws,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Kapar MP Dr Halimah Ali on the ministry’s efforts and successes in reducing the dependence of youth on vapes and cigarettes in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Lukanisman disclosed that in 2023, a total of 2,413,761 primary school students throughout Malaysia were screened through the KOTAK Programme or Kesihatan Oral Tanpa Rokok (Oral Health Without Cigarettes), and 374 students found smoking were provided with smoking cessation interventions.
As for secondary school students, a total of 1,540,035 students were screened, and 38,010 students found smoking were provided with smoking cessation interventions.
KKM has also collaborated with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and successfully trained 141 counselling teachers and Drug Prevention Education (PPE) teachers to handle students involved in smoking habits.
In 2023, KKM also successfully implemented at least 86 promotional and advocacy activities for smoking prevention with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the Malaysian Anti-Drug Association (PEMADAM), IKRAM Health, and the Student Volunteer Foundation.
These collaborative programmes also involved primary schools, secondary schools, higher education institutions, and the community.
