[Intl-tobacco] Malaysia steps up anti-tobacco legislation

[Robert Weissman]

Malaysia steps up anti-tobacco legislation 
Volume 360, Number 9333     24 August 2002
Source: The Lancet, 2002-08-25, via tobacco.org

http://www.thelancet.com/journal/vol360/iss9333/full/llan.360.9333.news.22241.3

The Malaysian health minister said this week that tobacco
advertising will be banned in Malaysia from next year. 

The health minister, Chua Jui Meng, told the official Bernama news
agency on Aug 20 that "the Cabinet meeting held last week decided
to ban all forms of promotions on cigarette brand names in Malaysia
effective from 1 January next year". 

Direct tobacco advertising has been banned in Malaysia for 9 years
but tobacco firms have managed to exploit loopholes in the current
regulations to sponsor sports events, such as the Malaysian formula
one grand prix, and advertise indirectly to the general public. 

The implications of a ban on sponsorship and promotion of tobacco
products in Malaysia's formula one race and football matches and
tournaments would require "further discussions". 

Government officials have stated that the promotion of events by
cigarette firms has contributed to an increase in smokers,
especially among young Malaysians. 

"At present, more than half of the adult men and over 3·5 out of 10
adult women in Malaysia are smokers", said Chua said. Cigarette
firms will spend US$26 million this year on indirect advertising
campaigns. "There is no way that the Health Ministry and
non-governmental organisations can compete" with such advertising
budgets. 

High profile, damaging lawsuits and stricter tobacco laws in the
west have pushed tobacco firms to look for new markets in countries
where regulations are less strict. However countries, such as
Malaysia are starting to respond with "more specific" laws. 

British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco Industry, and Philip Morris
have agreed to withdraw all forms of cigarette-related
advertisements from the end of this year in Malaysia said the
health minister. 

Haroon Ashraf 

 The Journal