THE Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has again called on all lawmakers to put the health of Malaysians first by supporting the Smoking and Tobacco Control Bill which is to be tabled in Parliament tomorrow.

Its president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai said the passing of the bill will be a vital step to reducing Malaysia’s high Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) burden. 

“NCDs are the main cause of death and disability in Malaysia and a significant number of cases are caused by tobacco use, however we now have the opportunity to take meaningful preventive measures through the Smoking and Tobacco Control Bill.”

“Cigarette smoking causes numerous types of cancers, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis while vaping can lead to E-cigarette or Vaping product use-Associated Lung Injury (Evali) which is a fatal disease,” said Muruga.

In April, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said her ministry will present the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 in parliament in June to ensure comprehensive control over nicotine-laced products.

She added that the bill would regulate the manufacturing of all smoking products including electronic cigarettes or vape which contained gel and liquid nicotine.

Speaking further, Muruga said it should be noted that Malaysia’s National Strategic Plan on Tobacco Control 2015- 2020 (NSPTC) has a medium term target to reduce smoking prevalence to 15% by 2025, as well as an endgame target of less than 5% smoking prevalence by 2045. 

To achieve these targets, we will need a game changer like the Generational End Game (GEG), he stressed.

He said the bill will not only save lives but also save the country billions of ringgit in treatment costs which can instead be used to further improve healthcare services and facilities for the people.

“The annual health-care cost of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer in Malaysia exceeds RM9.65 billion.”

“Tobacco use is the leading cause of cancer, contributing to 22% of cancer deaths while the estimated cost to treat lung cancer due to smoking is RM132.7 million. It should also be noted that up to 34% of heart attack patients are smokers,” he said. –  June 11, 2023.