Teen anti-smoking bill to be tabled in July
KAJANG: The draft bill to ban smoking among those born in 2005 and after is in the final stages of review by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and is expected to be tabled in Parliament in July.
Health Minister Khairy Kamaluddin said several rounds of engagement, including with the cigarette industry, had been held to gather feedback from all quarters before the bill was finalised.
He was speaking at the launch of the Generational End Game Anti-Rokok 18 (Gegar-18) at SMK Bandar Seri Putra here yesterday. Also present was Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Md Jidin.
Khairy said under the proposed Act, children born in 2005 and subsequent years are prohibited from smoking and buying or possessing any type of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vape products, after reaching 18 years old.
Shopkeepers and cigarette vendors are also not allowed to sell smoking products to those covered by the ban.
Khairy said a study had begun among Form Four and Form Five students throughout the country to gauge their opinion on the matter.
He added that the initiative was also aimed at getting students, who are non-smokers, to stay away from cigarettes, while those who have picked up the habit, to quit smoking.
“We will also implement control on advertisements promoting vape products, including on social media,” he said.
Speaking after the launch, Khairy
said the Health Ministry had deliberated carefully on the move to relax several standard operating procedures.
“The ministry has discussed the matter thoroughly and we will present it to the Cabinet on Wednesday.
“If approved, we will announce it,” he said. – Bernama