Bill on smoking ban for teens to be tabled in July

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, says 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 is finalised.

He told reporters this after the launch of the Generational End Game Anti Rokok 18 (Gegar-18) at SMK Bandar Seri Putra in Kajang today. Also present was Education Minister Radzi Jidin.

Khairy said under the proposed act, children born in and after 2005 would be prohibited from smoking and buying or possessing any type of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vape products, even after reaching 18 years of age.

Shopkeepers and cigarette vendors are also not allowed to sell such 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 controls on advertisements promoting vape products, including on social media,” he said.