OP ED | Opinion: Support the Generational Endgame Bill
Sunpix by Syed Azahar
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
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NO one said vaping is a safe alternative to smoking.
So why are we now legitimising vaping when we are taking steps to introduce an anti-smoking law?
Currently, the law regarding the possession, distribution, and advertisement of electronic smoking devices (ESD) is too loose, allowing underage citizens to freely buy the products either at physical stores or online platforms.
Youths and children are easily attracted to ESD, commonly known as vapes, as they perceive the device as “the lesser evil”, cool and “harmless”.
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingData has shown that ESD contains hundreds of harmful substances, mainly nicotine, vegetable glycol, propylene glycol, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, artificial colourings and flavourings.
Nicotine can cause severe addiction after the first few puffs.
This poisonous substance has now been transferred to the Food Act, which was recently announced by the health minister.
Implementing the Generational Endgame Bill is the most effective method for smoking and vaping prevention among children and teenagers.
The government introduced this Bill in Parliament to ban smoking for life for anyone born after 2007.
Although the Bill has been deferred pending a review by a committee because some lawmakers considered its enforcement provisions too draconian, its need was not in question.
In accordance with the Child Act 2001 (Act 611), every child has the right to the best healthcare and safety, thus they must be protected from the harmful effects of smoking and vaping.
The anti-smoking bill is meant to help those who are now in their teens and future generations enjoy a healthy smoke-free lifestyle while also helping to cut down on the government’s healthcare costs.
Concerns raised by people regarding harsh punishments for teenagers found vaping from the previously tabled Bill do not apply anymore as it was revised recently to a milder and more educational approach, which will open the hearts and minds of our younger generation to the fact that the Bill is meant to protect them.
The ban on the sale of e-cigarettes has been in place by many of our neighbouring countries such as Brunei, Singapore and Thailand or even Qatar, contradicting the statement recently made by the prime minister saying that no country in this world is able to ban the use of e-cigarettes.
When vaping is concerned, the government is now imposing an excise tax of 40 sen per ml on e-cigarettes or gel-containing nicotine from April 1.
It was also reported that half of the excise duty revenue collected from nicotine products would be channelled to the Health Ministry “to improve the quality of health services”.
E-cigarette use is linked to oral cancer such as tongue cancer and dentists around the world have raised concerns that we may observe oral cancer as early as a person in their 30s if they begin vaping during their adolescent years.
Obviously, the 50% revenue from the tax imposed on ESD would not be enough to treat a person with oral cancer.
Vaping is also associated with seizures and cardiovascular and mental illnesses that will need almost a lifetime of follow-up treatment.
This would further exacerbate health care costs for the government.
Long-term effects of vaping include asthma, lung scarring and other organ damage.
The excise duty imposed on vaping is not a deterrent for those who are and could be addicted to vaping.
Furthermore, isn’t prevention better than cure?
If vaping is banned as it is in Johor, isn’t that better than collecting taxes to overcome its harmful effects?
It is a known fact that the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes which users inhale and exhale can contain potentially harmful substances, with people around vapers also at risk from second-hand smoke as the chemical exhaled is not merely “water vapour”, but contains similar chemical contents when a vaper inhales them into their lungs.
Legitimising vaping will result in the existence of many outlets offering similar services that could tempt and distract our youths, leading to some harmful habits.
If a demographic study is conducted on those who indulge in vaping, it would reveal that those in the B40 group would be the most susceptible, followed by the M40 group.
This situation would be detrimental to the economic growth of the country and reduces the productivity of the nation.
Malaysians should be aware of the advocacy and prevention programmes that have been done over the past years.
In a recent secondary school advocacy programme for preventing smoking and vaping, students reported they could easily access vaping products without having to show their identification cards.
To make matters worse, they are mixing more illicit narcotics and even road tar into the e-cigarette fluid to get a “high” effect.
Nonetheless, these teenagers are pleading to get help to stop vaping as they are aware of its disastrous effects on their physical and mental health, and their future. We must listen to their plea for help.
We should help wean them away from this harmful vaping habit and help them lead healthier lifestyles.
After all, we want this age group to eventually become part of the healthy ageing population and become responsible role models for their offspring.
So, let’s support the Generational Endgame Bill to be approved by Parliament this year and not later as the tobacco industry has proposed.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
Kuala Lumpur
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