Khairy renews call for youth smoking ban bill to be passed in Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin once again calls for the bill on youth smoking ban to be passed when it is tabled in Dewan Rakyat this July.

Khairy in a tweet today said a new law would be a generational end game to smoking.

"Those born after 2005 will not be able to buy smoking products, ever. Yes, enforcement will be an issue and we will work hard on this. But let's shut the door shut once and for all for our youth," he said.

His posting came with a retweet of a post by a local news organisation regarding the smoking ban bill which reported a survey conducted by a non-governmental organisation for tobacco control showed the policy was also supported by 95 per cent of the young respondents aged 24 and below and 89 per cent of smokers and vapers.

In March, Khairy said a new law to ban smoking activities and the possession of any smoking products, including electronic cigarettes (vaping), for those who were born after 2005, will be tabled in Dewan Rakyat in July.

On Feb 17, he announced the introduction of the law, aimed at reducing the exposure of future generations to cigarettes and smoking products, as their consumption is a major factor in cancer incidence and accounts for 22 per cent of cancer deaths.

-- BERNAMA