A recent survey found that six in 10 Malaysians perceived smoke-free alternatives to be better than cigarettes for non-quitting smokers.
Younger Malaysians seemed to be more in favour of smoke-free alternatives compared to older adults.
71 per cent of respondents aged 25 to 34 agreed that smoke-free alternatives were an improvement to cigarettes, whereas only 31 per cent of those aged 55 and above shared the same sentiment.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF SMOKE-FREE ALTERNATIVES
The survey conducted by Philip Morris Malaysia (PMM) garnered 5,325 respondents and aimed to assess the level of awareness, understanding and attitudes of the public towards smoke-free alternatives.
Of those interviewed, 51 per cent said they were familiar with smoke-free alternatives, while 67 per cent claimed to have seen smoke-free alternatives being used in their surroundings.
One of the findings was that 55 per cent of respondents believed e-cigarettes, vape and heated tobacco products to be the same. However, it is argued that each category of alternatives to cigarettes has its own benefits and disadvantages, and comprises different inputs resulting in different risk profiles to the consumer.
For instance, heated tobacco devices heat real tobacco to a specific temperature, preventing it from burning and producing smoke. On the other hand, e-cigarettes and vape vapourise liquid solutions that contain nicotine and flavourings.
59 per cent of Malaysians also associated nicotine with the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. This perception is problematic as it dissuades current adult smokers from switching to better alternatives that contain nicotine. Although nicotine is addictive and not risk-free, the primary culprit for many serious health issues is actually carbon monoxide, tar and other toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke.
Both these statistics indicate a gap in the overall knowledge of smoke-free alternatives in Malaysia, and this is worrying.
Without having an informed opinion of smoke-free alternatives, smokers who do not want to quit will continue to smoke cigarettes and will not transition to better alternatives due to the stigma attached to them.
IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY
67 per cent of Malaysians agreed that smoke-free alternatives should be regulated differently from cigarettes if its risk reduction was proven.
The same percentage of respondents were in favour of adult smokers having the right to access information on smoke-free alternatives.
Nevertheless, only three in five respondents said that current accessibility to such information was sufficient.
However, 59 per cent of those surveyed perceived that it would be better for smokers to use smoke-free alternatives if they were not planning to quit.
With the new Tobacco Bill being referred to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee for a second time, it is vital that all stakeholders understand the perception of smoking versus smoke-free alternatives in order to draft a comprehensive and inclusive public health policy.