Early last month I wrote in my Facebook drawing attention to the readers on the report of the recent move to act on smokers. I quote: " For cigarette smokers nationwide, your days of congenital puffing are breathtakingly numbered, first by being chased out of restaurants, air-conditioned shopping malls and government buildings, followed by stiffer imposition of sales tax and duties, and now a ban on the ubiquitous 14-pack..." Following this quote I wrote a provocative statement, "Is smoking still an act of cool savagery? Think of the fatal ill-effects smoking can cause!!!"
To my surprise, I did not receive much response from Facebook friends. Personally I am strongly against habitual smoking. Apart from being a threat and a nuisance to our health, it is also tightening on monthly budget. The worst consequence is not just on the smokers themselves but also on the non-smokers, because smoking would indirectly affect them as passive smokers.
There have been a lot of efforts already carried out by the authorities in Malaysia to curb smoking. Among others are public relations campaigns carried out from time to time by relevant agencies. The biggest campaign was the 'Tak Nak' campaign launched sometime in the 1990s when the government spent millions of ringgit to create no-smoking awareness, particularly among the younger generation. But to what extent this campaign has been successful could be seen from the habit that still prevails largely among our people. Apart from current efforts like banning smoking in public places such as shopping complex, government premises, cinemas, all modes of transportation, university campuses, smoking prohibition among teenagers, and imposition of sales tax and duties on cigarettes, there ought to be more aggressive measures and commitment by the authorities.
I am impressed by Australia's bold move to ban logos and branding on cigarette packets as reported in the newspapers yesterday. Cigarettes will be sold in plain, standardized packages carrying large graphic warnings against smoking and the brand name will appear in small print from 2012, under proposed new legislation.
The move is bound to spark furious response from the tobacco industry. This is going to be the most hard line move as the Australian government has also planned to curb tobacco advertising on the Internet. "Cigarettes are not cool, cigarettes kill people," said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He added,"The government makes no apology for what we are doing - it's the right decision."
In Malaysia too, if the government were to take such serious measures there is bound to be adverse reactions from the tobacco growers and the industries related to it. The agriculture department for one would have to think of the alternative crop to replace tobacco. They would have to examine the total impact on the income to the growers and what other cash crops could be grown to supplement their income.
If the graphic warning on 'smoking is dangerous to health' that appear on cigarette packets is not effective enough to scare away smokers, what other measures can we think of? Should we follow the Australian move?
To my surprise, I did not receive much response from Facebook friends. Personally I am strongly against habitual smoking. Apart from being a threat and a nuisance to our health, it is also tightening on monthly budget. The worst consequence is not just on the smokers themselves but also on the non-smokers, because smoking would indirectly affect them as passive smokers.
There have been a lot of efforts already carried out by the authorities in Malaysia to curb smoking. Among others are public relations campaigns carried out from time to time by relevant agencies. The biggest campaign was the 'Tak Nak' campaign launched sometime in the 1990s when the government spent millions of ringgit to create no-smoking awareness, particularly among the younger generation. But to what extent this campaign has been successful could be seen from the habit that still prevails largely among our people. Apart from current efforts like banning smoking in public places such as shopping complex, government premises, cinemas, all modes of transportation, university campuses, smoking prohibition among teenagers, and imposition of sales tax and duties on cigarettes, there ought to be more aggressive measures and commitment by the authorities.
I am impressed by Australia's bold move to ban logos and branding on cigarette packets as reported in the newspapers yesterday. Cigarettes will be sold in plain, standardized packages carrying large graphic warnings against smoking and the brand name will appear in small print from 2012, under proposed new legislation.
The move is bound to spark furious response from the tobacco industry. This is going to be the most hard line move as the Australian government has also planned to curb tobacco advertising on the Internet. "Cigarettes are not cool, cigarettes kill people," said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He added,"The government makes no apology for what we are doing - it's the right decision."
In Malaysia too, if the government were to take such serious measures there is bound to be adverse reactions from the tobacco growers and the industries related to it. The agriculture department for one would have to think of the alternative crop to replace tobacco. They would have to examine the total impact on the income to the growers and what other cash crops could be grown to supplement their income.
If the graphic warning on 'smoking is dangerous to health' that appear on cigarette packets is not effective enough to scare away smokers, what other measures can we think of? Should we follow the Australian move?
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