Khairy: Anti-tobacco and smoking bill to be tabled in July

KAJANG (April 25): The draft bill to ban smoking among 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 (GEGAR-18) at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Seri Putra here on Monday (April 25). Also present was Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Md Jidin.

Khairy said under the proposed act, children born in 2005 and subsequent years are prohibited from smoking and 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 had begun among Form Four and Form Five 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 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.

Read also:Khairy: Relaxation of SOP deliberated carefully to ensure safety of people