In Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni, the Deputy Health Minister, urged MPs to refrain from smoking in public places like the Parliament House if they are serious about addressing the smoking and vape epidemic in Malaysia. He emphasized that combating these habits starts with lawmakers taking the first step.
He stressed the importance of setting a good example, stating, “If we are truly serious about getting rid of vaping and smoking habits, it needs to start at Parliament itself. I urge all MPs to avoid vaping or smoking in premises like Parliament House and find a more suitable place to do so,” while addressing the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
Lukanisman highlighted that a screening programme conducted by the Health Ministry in 2023 revealed that 38,010 secondary students were smokers out of 1.54 million screened across the country. The Oral Health Tobacco-Free (KOTAK) programme also identified 374 smokers out of 2,413,761 primary school pupils.
These students have been provided with intervention to help curb their smoking habits. Lukanisman mentioned that in collaboration with the Education Ministry, 141 school counsellors and teachers involved in drug prevention education have been trained on how to address smoking among students.
He further disclosed that the prevalence of vaping among women has increased from 2.8% in 2017 to 6.2% in 2022. When questioned by Dr Halimah Ali on the ministry’s efforts to reduce youth dependence on cigarettes and vapes, Lukanisman mentioned the development of a plain packaging policy for both cigarettes and vape products.
This policy includes specifications for vape products, such as the allowed shapes for products sold by the industry. Additionally, the ministry has engaged in 129 sessions with NGOs and local authorities to create policies aimed at reducing smoking and vaping in open areas.
