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Recently, during the virtual launch of the ministry’s cancer day, Malaysia’s health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has said that the country will introduce a new law to ban smoking and the possession of tobacco products, including vapes, for people born after 2005 as a “generational end game” for smoking in the country.
He said that the introduction of the law would help to reduce exposure to cigarettes and tobacco products for future generations as tobacco use is the leading cause of cancer.
IRL took the liberty to reach out to fellow Malaysians to share their thoughts on this change:
1. “As long as it doesn’t get in my way…”
In the long term, such a policy would eventually reduce the number of smokers in the country. However, as a smoker, I know that many youths can easily find channels through which they can access tobacco products.
I guess it’s a good law to implement but from what I can see, it still won’t be upheld very well because there are always going to be ways for the new generation to circumvent this law – especially if their parents, uncles, aunties, cousins or other older influences also smoke.
As I am a smoker I prefer leniency with smoking regulations. If such a law is implemented in Malaysia, what will happen to other things related to smoking? Will this mean there will be fewer smoking areas and so on?
If this law doesn’t affect me, I’m all for it. However, if it affects me I would not support it because for current smokers, it’s more than just a habit.
2. “The ban might have unintended consequences”
I first started smoking at 14 and was a habitual user of tobacco by the time I turned 19.
I come from a family of smokers and I grew up with smokers. It would make me very angry if such a law were to be introduced in Malaysia. I know it’s an unhealthy habit, but if I had kids and they also wanted to smoke once they became adults, it would be hypocritical of me to tell them no.
I’ve come to terms with the more restrictive smoking regulations imposed in Malaysia recently, and understand that my habit should not impact other people who share a public space. However, an outright ban is not the answer.
Sometimes, when you ban things, people will find a way around it. When I read about the possibility of a smoking ban, my thought was that it would make people want it even more. Maybe I’m just cynical for assuming that there could be a backlash, and you may end up with a generation that smuggles cigarettes or has people buy them quietly on the black market.
3. “I’ve been smoking since I was a kid… now I have serious inflammation”
I’ve been struggling with pain in my throat for the longest time. I went to a clinic for a check up but I was told to go to the hospital because of the seriousness of my condition. Sometimes I even have double vision.
This was what opened my eyes to the truth.
I am 45 years young, and my doctor showed me that my sinuses and tonsils are badly inflamed. At that moment I thought, “I can’t keep doing this to myself”, this is all because of my smoking addiction.
I used to feel that smoking was a personal choice which meant that everyone should have the right to decide for themselves. However, my views have changed since the diagnosis. Both of my grandfathers died of cancer. I think it’s completely fair for the younger generation to not be given the opportunity to smoke tobacco.
We’ve been dealing with this problem for so many years now. A lot of smokers in Malaysia pick up the habit when they are underage, myself included. It’s good that the law is targeting that age group.
Enforcement will be extremely tough though, especially regulating sales in sundry and mamak shops. It will probably be just like before, where kids go to sundry shops and pay RM1 for a cigarette stick.
4. “I’m all for the move, because it would mean my son having a better and cleaner future”
Source: Time
It’s nothing shy of necessary for it to be introduced in Malaysia. I think it is fair to say that most parents, even those who are smokers, may agree with this. I used to hate hanging out in open spaces because of how smoking is allowed in public spaces in Malaysia. I may not be able to reap the benefits of this ban but I am very sure my two-year-old son will.
The medical risk and addictive nature of smoking far outweigh any arguments pertaining to freedom of the individual. The freedom to smoke does not equate to the freedom to put your health at risk of lung cancer or any of the other illnesses caused by smoking.
On the other hand, I am a non-smoker after all, so I’m sure the people on the other side of the court feel differently.
I’m also worried about an overly paternalistic government and the potential for a precedent that is less than healthy towards personal freedoms and choice in this country. What is really needed are laws and enforcement protecting the most vulnerable segments of society, and a strong educational and cultural shift away from self-destructive habits.
Malaysians have always been an opinionated bunch
Since the idea of the smoking ban was introduced, it has clearly instigated many discussions. Several concerns have been aired, ranging from where the country stands in the context of political progression to what this would mean for the country’s economy.
The general idea of it all is that this contributes to a better and healthier life for Malaysians. However, it is very clear that not every single one of us feels the exact same way.
Regardless, smoking results from a real addiction and perhaps the root causes of addiction is what must be dealt with.
For more stories like this, read: I Worked for a Dictator Boss Who Called Me A ‘Bad Influence’ Because I Smoke and I Was a Smoker for 20 Years. Here are 5 Ways Which Helped Me Quit
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