‘Reintroducing kiddie packs will only bring more harm’
KUALA LUMPUR: The government should not lift the ban on smaller-sized packs of cigarettes, or “kiddie packs”, as they are more appealing to social smokers and children.
Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the argument that smaller packs of cigarettes could help reduce smoking and sales of illicit cigarettes was unreasonable.
“The government should not buy the argument that smaller cigarette packs could stop smokers from buying contraband cigarettes.
“We should ban them to save our children.”
Lee was responding to reports that the government was considering bringing back smaller cigarette packs containing 10 sticks of cigarettes as they were more affordable.
He said the smaller packs were designed to attract casual smokers, women and children.
“It will lure more people, especially children, to try smoking. People will get addicted and eventually become smokers.”
He said the authorities should focus on stopping people from smoking by reducing the access to buy cigarettes by strict licensing, decreasing their affordability through price hikes and making them less appealing through plain packaging and graphic images.
The Health Ministry reiterated its stand on being against the proposal for kiddie packs to be reintroduced in Malaysia.
“I have commented before and the ministry’s stand is clear.
“We are against this,” said the ministry’s directorgeneral, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
It was reported that the ministry did not support the move as sales of kiddie packs were prohibited.
“Rumours of kiddie packs being sold are not true.
“The ministry has not endorsed it,” Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said.
“Legislation prohibits the sale of small packs of cigarettes of fewer than 20 sticks.
“This is also consistent with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which Malaysia is a part of.”