KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27): Malaysia plans to ban the sale of tobacco and other smoking products to anyone born after 2005, in an effort to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs), according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

“..Malaysia would like to highlight the negative impact of tobacco on NCDs, which is well known.

“We, like some other WPRO (WHO Western Pacific region) countries, hope to pass a legislation this year which will bring about a generation end game to smoking by making it illegal for the sale of tobacco and other smoking products to anyone born after 2005. Malaysia feels this will have a significant impact in preventing and controlling NCDs,” he said at the 150th session at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) executive board meeting in Geneva on Wednesday (Jan 26).

Khairy previously indicated about two weeks ago on Jan 15 that his ministry would be introducing a new tobacco and smoking control bill in the upcoming parliamentary session to replace the current tobacco product control legislation under the Food Act 1983.

Last month, New Zealand similarly announced its intention to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008, under a new law that is expected to be passed this year.

According to news reports, some 27,000 people in Malaysia are killed by health problems associated with tobacco products each year.