THE Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued 37,381 notices for various offences under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) since the law came into effect on Oct 1, 2024, up to March 31.
Health deputy director-general (Public Health) Datuk Dr Norhayati Rusli said the notices were issued following 10,212 operations conducted nationwide.
She added that 116 cases have been brought to court involving offences under several provisions of the Act, involving offences under Section 7(1) Prohibition of Advertising of Tobacco Products; Section 9(1) Prohibition of Promotion or Sponsorship of Tobacco Products; Section 10(1) Prohibition of Sale of Tobacco Products; Section 11(1) Prohibition of Sale of Imitation Tobacco Products; and Section 12(1) Prohibition of Tobacco Products as Gifts.
During the same period, the MOH seized 11,563 smoking products valued at RM266,833.10.
“Previously, the MOH conducted educational enforcement involving 206,657 individuals engaged in the sale of cigarettes, to ensure they understand and comply with the provisions of Act 852,” she said at the launching of enforcement operations under the ‘Op Cakna Penguatkuasaan Undang-Undang Kesihatan Awam Siri 2/2025’ held in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.
Also present was Terengganu Health Department director Datuk Dr Kasemani Embong.
Dr Norhayati added that the MOH takes smoking-related offences at gazetted no-smoking areas seriously and will intensify enforcement operations nationwide this year. - April 22, 2025
