Cabinet approves bill to ban smoking, to discuss in Parliament – Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR – The Cabinet has approved the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill on Wednesday.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the bill would be discussed and debated in the upcoming Parliament session, which starts on Monday.

Khairy gave the media a succinct statement in which he stated that the cabinet adopted the tobacco bill on Wednesday, and the legislature would be presented in the Parliament for the session.

There are provisions in the proposed Tobacco and Smoking Control law that forbid the sale of cigarettes, tobacco, and vaping goods to people who were born after 2005.

The individuals covered by the restriction would not be permitted to purchase smoking items from traders or cigarette vendors.

Khairy had previously stated that the generational smoking ban was an effort to lower cancer incidence and enhance access to cancer care in the nation.

"The measure will make Malaysia the first nation in the world to adopt a tobacco generational endgame legislation,” he added.

He said that by 2030, treating lung cancer, heart issues, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease would cost the government RM8 billion if nothing was done to address the nation's smoking problem.