ˇˇˇˇKUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- The Malaysian government will ban all
forms of cigarette-related promotions including that on brand names, travels and
other non-tobacco businesses from Jan. 1 next year, said Health Minister Chua
Jui Meng Tuesday.
ˇˇˇˇChua said the existing law only banned direct tobacco advertising but
cigarette-related promotions managed to gain public attention through
non-tobacco businesses' advertisements aswell as sponsorships of sporting
events.
ˇˇˇˇ"The Cabinet meeting held last week decided to ban all forms ofpromotions
on cigarette brand names in Malaysia effective Jan. 1 next year," he told
reporters here.
ˇˇˇˇChua said three tobacco companies -- British American Tobacco, Japan
Tobacco Industry and Philip Morris had stated their willingness to withdraw all
forms of their cigarette-related advertisements beginning end of this year.
ˇˇˇˇChua said the exploitation of loopholes in the existing law by the tobacco
companies had undermined the government's efforts in regulating usage of tobacco
products.
ˇˇˇˇThe Cabinet agreed that there should be a new Act on tobacco control which
was more specific and covered wider aspects, he said,adding that this would be
enacted by the end of this year.
ˇˇˇˇChua said the Tobacco Control Regulations 1993, which was underthe Food Act
1983, was not that effective in controlling smoking among Malaysians.
ˇˇˇˇHe said the Health Ministry's National Health and Morbidity Survey I and II
showed that the number of smokers among the local population had shot by almost
one million from 21.5 percent of thepopulation in 1986 to 24.8 per cent in 1996.
ˇˇˇˇ"At present, more than half of the adult men and over 3.5 out of 10 adult
women in Malaysia are smokers," he said, adding that the habit had spread fast
among youngsters.
ˇˇˇˇThe minister said the surveys revealed that youths were easily swayed by
these cigarette-related promotions in the media which later became part of their
lifestyle.
ˇˇˇˇHe said the ratio of smokers between male and female youths was6:1 in 1996
which later became 4:1 in 1999 and if allowed to prolong, this can be 1:1 in the
next 10 years.
ˇˇˇˇOn another development, Chua said the Cabinet gave its nod for the setting
up of the Health Foundation with its resources derivedfrom part of the duties
imposed on the cigarette and liquor industries.
ˇˇˇˇHe said these resources can be used to implement various healthprograms
like the anti-smoking campaign as well as for sponsorships of sports events.
ˇˇˇˇ"Based on what happened in other countries, soon after cigarette companies
withdraw from sponsoring sports events, other industries will step in to replace
them," he said.
ˇˇˇˇThe rise in the number of smokers can be related to the increase in the
amount spent by the tobacco companies on promotions to boost their sales.
ˇˇˇˇIn the first five months of this year, the tobacco companies inMalaysia
spent 47 million ringgit (12.36 million US dollars) for their indirect
promotions and this is expected to reach 100 million ringgit (26.31 million US
dollars) by the end of this year.
ˇˇˇˇNext year's ban on cigarette-brand advertising follows the requirements set
by the World Health Organization (WHO) which drewout the Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 1999, which is a global accord to curb smoking.
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