KUALA LUMPUR: A healthcare association has questioned operators of eateries whether they were in the business of selling cigarettes instead of coffee, following reports of their grouses over the proposed generational ban on smoking at eateries.
"Why should they be so worried about cigarettes? Are they selling coffee or cigarettes?" said Ikram Health Malaysia president Dr Mohd Afiq Mohd Nor, in response to the operators' fear of the ban eating into their business.
He said the operators should instead be supportive of the cigarette ban as the prohibition of smoking in public places, enforced in 2019, had brought them more customers as families with young children had started frequenting their premises.
Dr Afiq said the National Health and Morbidity Survey found that exposure to passive smoking dipped to 41.9 per cent in 2019 compared with 51.9 per cent the year before.
He said while there were still hardcore flouters of this ban, enforcement had been increased.
"Do operators understand the objective of this ban that would be presented? Do not mislead the public with incorrect information," he said, referring to the proposed ban announced by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy said the ministry was determined to push through the proposed Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, which was the generational endgame for smoking in Malaysia and expected to be tabled during the upcoming Parliament sitting next month.
Dr Afiq, however, said the proposed ban was only for those born after the year 2005, targeted at those who were underage.
"Isn't it better for this group to be free of smoking forever? How long does the country have to bear the burden of their addiction?
"This is a business that causes more loss than profit. For every RM1 received from excise tax, the government has to spend RM4 to treat complications related to smoking. This does not include treatment costs for those who vape."
Last week Malaysia Singapore Coffee Shop Proprietors' General Association president Wong Teu Hoon said the proposal would not deter smokers since contraband cigarettes made up 60 per cent of the cigarettes that were sold in the market.
Green Lung Malaysia chairman Ho Rhu Yann said the argument that the generation affected would switch to contraband did not hold water as they were not smokers to begin with.
"The influx of contraband in the market will reduce due to (lower) demand and in the long term, it will curb the sale of illegal cigarettes."
Ho also said the implementation of the policy could not be a loss by any stretch. Instead, it would benefit all in the long run.
In the 2018 study on the Impact of Tobacco Use on Health and Work Productivity in Malaysia conducted by Monash University, it was found that men aged between 25 and 34 made up the highest number of smokers.
The study found that the life expectancy of smokers will reduce by 10 years compared with those who are healthy.
It also pointed out that 45 per cent of deaths in Malaysia involved men who smoke.
Of these total deaths, 23 per cent were among men belonging to the productive age group.
Prior to their death, those who smoke also experienced a decline in quality of life due to complications from smoking.