KAJANG – The draft bill to ban smoking for those born in 2005 and after is in the final stages of review by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and is expected to be tabled in Parliament in July, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said several rounds of engagement including with the cigarette industry had been held to gather feedback from all quarters before the bill was finalised.
He told reporters this after the launch of the Generational End Game Anti Rokok 18 programme at SMK Bandar Seri Putra here today. Also present was Education Minister Datuk Radzi Md Jidin.
Khairy said under the proposed act, children born in 2005 and subsequent years are prohibited from smoking, buying or possessing any type of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vape products, even after reaching 18 years old.
Apart from this, shopkeepers and cigarette vendors are also not allowed to sell smoking products to those covered by the ban.
Khairy said a study has begun among Form 4 and 5 students throughout the country to gauge their opinions on the matter.
He said the initiative was also aimed at getting students who had never smoked to continue staying away from cigarettes, and for those who have picked up the habit to quit smoking.
“Apart from this, we will implement control on advertisements promoting vape products, including on social media,” he said. – Bernama, April 25, 2022
