Towards a smoke-free Malaysia

Updated 7 years ago · Published on 22 Oct 2018 5:22PM · 4 Comments

WE refer to Health Minister Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad’s statement in “Cigarette prices to go up, minimum age to buy alcohol raised to 21”. 
 
We applaud his bravery, concern and care for the rakyat with this move to raise the prices of cigarettes and ban cigarette smoking in eateries.
 
Around 46% of adult males in Malaysia smoke. Smoking-related diseases kill about 20,000 Malaysians annually.
 
Cigarette smoking is an addiction. It only gives a transient high, which needs repeated over and over again to be sustained.

As medical professionals, we see daily the harm and tragedy accrued from cigarette smoking. Children develop respiratory illnesses because of parental smoking or become orphans from parental deaths due to lung cancer. 

We bear witness to the terrible and slow death that lung cancer afflicts, and the daily suffering of smokers whose every breath is a struggle. Not to mention the deaths and morbidity caused by strokes and heart disease strongly associated with smoking. 

In our quest to build a new nation, the health of the rakyat must be a foremost objective. A healthy nation must be one of the pivotal end points of Malaysia Baru.
 
We are helmed by the exemplary “cakap serupa bikin” habits of our doctors duo – Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail – who are non-smokers themselves.
 
The US’ Food and Drug Administration has warned that  “the overwhelming amount of death and disease attributable to tobacco is caused by addiction to cigarettes – the only legal consumer product that, when used as intended, will kill half of all long-term users. Unless we change course, 5.6 million young people alive today will die prematurely later in life from tobacco use”.
  
That smoking is “haram”, a fatwa (edict) issued by the National Fatwa Council in 1995, is not being taken seriously by Muslims. If anything, there has been concerted efforts by the tobacco industry suggesting that smoking is makruh (objectionable but not forbidden). Many have fallen for this excuse.
 
We urge our Muslim brethren to abide by the NFC fatwa derived by our learned scholars and supported by the medical fraternity.
 
We are puzzled that there are quarters who questioned the ban on smoking in the Parliament premises. If the most august seat of the government cannot enforce this in Malaysia Baru starting with the Yang Berhormats, then it is certainly a bad example for the ordinary rakyat!
 
The health fraternity must also address the addictive nature of cigarette smoking. Many smokers have tried to quit smoking at some point in their lives.
 
A holistic public health approach should include dedicated addiction treatment clinics. More sophisticated evidence-based medical and psycho-social support should be readily accessible to addicts who want to kick their habit. 
 
Kudos to the honourable health minister, medical professional organisations and anti-smoking activists in our joint quest to make Malaysia Baru smoke free! – October 22, 2018.

* Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia president Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan; Federation of Islamic Medical Associations Advisory Council chairman Dr Musa Mohd Nordin; Green Crescent Malaysia president Dr Zul Azlin Razali; and, Ikram Health president Dr Abdul Halim Sibghatullah read The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.

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Comments

  • AS A SINGAPORE SPORTS COUNCIL FITNESS PERSON I SHARE THAT REGULAR EXERCISE CAN PREVENT YOU FROM TAKING UP SMOKING, IF ALREADY A SMOKER REGULAR EXERCISE CAN ALSO REDUCE YOUR DEPENDENCE ON SMOKING OVER TIME, BESIDES HAVING MANY OTHER BENEFITS. To experience the benefits, try out, and then choose those activities you like & enjoy. You are then more likely to keep up with it lifelong. For a start begin with brisk walking in safe places e.g parks, shopping malls..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • agreed.

      Posted 7 years ago by Siti Fatimah · Reply

  • Why do squareheaded bureaucrats fear smoking, joking & poking as well as sex, drugs & rock'n'roll? Does anyone actually believe that governments are genuinely concerned about our health - or are those entrusted with the management of civil affairs more concerned with their own public image, that they must be seen to be pro-active & passing new rules & regulations. Nietzsche pointedly said: "All the rules & regulations of man are aimed at one objective & one objective only - that we be distracted from experiencing the ecstasy of being alive." Let's face it, folks. Humans either sleep early or wake up late. Why attempt to compel everyone to conform to some arbitrary norm? People either smoke or they don't. Even the ones who don't smoke

    Posted 7 years ago by Antares Maitreya · Reply

  • Why do squareheaded bureaucrats fear smoking, joking & poking as well as sex, drugs & rock'n'roll? Does anyone actually believe that governments are genuinely concerned about our health - or are those entrusted with the management of civil affairs more concerned with their own public image, that they must be seen to be pro-active & passing new rules & regulations. Nietzsche pointedly said: "All the rules & regulations of man are aimed at one objective & one objective only - that we be distracted from experiencing the ecstasy of being alive." Let's face it, folks. Humans either sleep early or wake up late. Why attempt to compel everyone to conform to some arbitrary norm? People either smoke or they don't. Even the ones who don't smoke & who go to bed early & watch their diet & exercise daily can die untimely & unexpected deaths. May I politely suggest that our so-called lawmakers pride themselves on becoming lay-unmakers? The fewer laws exist, the more natural justice will flourish!

    Posted 7 years ago by Antares Maitreya · Reply