by Theleaders-Online | December 27, 2019 3:22 am
PUCHONG: Health Ministry refuted claims that it is not doing enough to combat smoking or educating in rural areas especially among youth, in the upcoming smoking ban.
In a Facebook post, the ministry said the of smoking among youths aged between 13 and 15 in Malaysia had been reduced from 20.25% in 2003 to 18.20% in 2009 and 14.80% in 2016 since the ratification of World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2005.
“These statistics were based on the Global Youth Tobacco Survey.
“The latest statistic for 2017 show that the prevalence has further dropped to 13.2%,” it said.
The government has announced it will fully enforce the ban on smoking in public areas including restaurants from Jan 1.
The ministry admitted more needed to be done to help adult smokers quit smoking.
“Now, the ministry is collaborating with private hospitals and community pharmacies to offer services to those wishing to quit smoking under the Malaysia Quit Smoking Programme,” it said.
As from The Leaders Online observation, while smoking among youth is down, the number of youth vaping has risen in Malaysia.
By Irman Hashim
Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/health-ministry-smoking-among-youths-declined/
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