Hanoi (VNA) – The Malaysian Ministry of Health is committed to reducing smoking among adults to 15% by the end of next year, in line with the enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024.
Speaking at a press conference on October 4, Minister of Health Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad believed that the enforcement of the Act could help reduce the prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults as well as vaping.
The Act covers regulations on the registration, sale, packaging, labelling and prohibition of smoking in public places.
While the prevalence of tobacco use among those from 15 years old upwards dropped from 21.3% in 2019 to 19% last year, there is a shift from conventional smoking to vaping. Right now, the rate of vaping is at 5.8%, according to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS)./.
