Govt screenings find over 43,000 secondary school students smoke
The Oral Health Tobacco-Free programme also found that 341 primary school students were into the habit.
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Screenings conducted on 1.3 million secondary school students through the Oral Health Tobacco-Free programme last year found that a total of 43,019 students were involved in the smoking habit.
Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni said during the same period, screenings conducted on two million primary school pupils found 341 were also into the habit.
"Those identified as smokers were given intervention for smoking cigarettes, while those who do not smoke were given continuous health education to ensure they remain smoke-free," he said during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara today.
He was responding to N Balasubramaniam, who asked about the health ministry's latest developments with regards to the Anti-Smoking Generational End Game 18 Plan (Gegar-18) and how successful it had been.
Lukanisman said the health ministry would continue to strengthen and expand the Gegar-18 programme, which aims to provide legal knowledge and continuous education to create a smoke-free environment.
"The Gegar-18 campaign was also organised at nine higher learning institutions in collaboration with the Volunteer Foundation and the higher education ministry.
"In line with the Gegar-18 campaign, 19 university campuses implemented the University Quit Smoking Services programme and conducted screenings and intervention to stop the smoking habit among undergraduates," he said.
He said the health ministry would also extend the gegar-18 campaign to youths who are not at higher learning institutions through the Malaysian Youth Council and other related organisations.
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