PUTRAJAYA, Oct 1 — The Health Ministry (MOH) enforcement will take prudent and reasonable measures in using powers under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said Act 852, which was gazetted on February 2, came into force today.
“I am confident that MOH enforcement officers will act prudently so those involved in this industry understand that we (the government) are doing this for the good health of the younger generation,” he told the media after the MOH 2024 Senior Citizens’ Day celebration ceremony here.
Dr Dzulkefly said among the challenges in implementation are age identification as well as the difficulty in ensuring those who buy tobacco products are not minors.
Immediate enforcement from today will be on the sale of smoking products in the form of games that attract the attention of children, to curb the availability of these products.
Dr Dzulkefly said this is because the MOH views seriously the negative effects of smoking, including unethical promotional marketing targeting teenagers and children.
Additionally, provisions involve advertising, promotions, and sponsorship of all types of smoking products, as well as related to places where the sale of smoking products is prohibited, such as schools, markets, online, and vending machines.
Education enforcement will be implemented first for a period of six to 12 months from the effective date for aspects such as the registration of smoking products that will be enforced from April 1, 2025.
This includes the registration of smoking products that will be effective April 1, 2025, compared to previously, where no registration was done.
In addition, packaging and labelling rules will be enforced for products by no later than October 1, 2025, as well as sales controls including displays at sales counters that will be enforced no later than April 1, 2025.
— Bernama
