Tobacco.org

Over 26,000 packets of contraband cigarettes seized, 10 arrested 

Acting on intelligence gathered, enforcement agencies here smashed a syndicate's ploy to smuggle 26,749 packets of duty-unpaid cigarette worth over $243,415.

The duty and GST involved amounted to over $205,350. Ten men (four Singaporeans, three Malaysians and three Bangladesh nationals) were arrested on June 25. Three vehicles were also seized.

At 8.45 pm on the night of the sting, a Malaysian-registered lorry was seen entering a rubbish dump at Marsiling Drive. Several men then appeared on the scene.

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Boy, 13, is youngest heart attack victim 

China Press reported that Hisyamudin Sahidan is believed to have crawled out from his burning car parked in the basement of a shopping centre in Jalan Bukit Bintang early Sunday morning.

Kuala Lumpur city CID chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Ku Chin Wah said police had initially investigated the case as attempted murder but the Chemistry Department’s report had ruled this out.

The newspaper said it was believed that a drunk Hisyamudin was smoking in his car and that the fire could have been started by a burning cigarette butt.

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BAT urges Govt to consider gradual hike in cigarette taxes 

British American Tobacco (M) Bhd (BAT) is asking the Government to consider a more gradual increase in excise duty on cigarettes in future to discourage the smuggling of illicit cigarettes.

The excise duty on cigarettes rose to 25% last year from 14% in 2004.

Head of business development Azlan Ibrahim said high and sporadic tax increases over past years that had resulted in sharp hikes in the retail price of cigarettes, had forced consumers to buy and hence, create the demand for illicit cigarettes.

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Health Ministry's tobacco rules get thumbs-up 

The Clearinghouse for Tobacco Control (C-Tob) has welcomed the Health Ministry's announcement on the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004 (amended) on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on May 31.

The amendments include the introduction of graphic health warning on cigarette packs, a ban on descriptors such as "mild" and "light," a ban on items that come with the purchase of cigarettes and also the use of words that indicate cigarette promotion.

The move was proactive and meets World Health Organisation-Framework Convention for Tobacco Control guidelines, of which Malaysia is a member, said Associate Professor Dr Foong Kin, spokesman for C-Tob, a Universiti Sains Malaysia-based organisation.

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Government puts the squeeze on cigarette makers 

Cigarettes manufacturers are banned from using words such as "lights", "ultra lights", "low tar" or "mild" on their packaging.

Promotion sales of cigarettes are also disallowed and, as such, display of words like "promotion", "promo", "discounts" and "limited edition", are prohibited.

Sale of cigarettes with other items, such as lighters, is also banned.

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said this following the amendments to the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004, approved by the Cabinet in January.

He said the number of smokers went down by only 2% after the introduction of the Tak Nak campaign in 2004, a situation he described as unsatisfactory.

"This is one of our measures to bring the figure down and we are also looking at other methods, including increasing cigarette prices," he said after launching the National Celebration of World No Tobacco Day 2008 here yesterday.

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DAMIS: Is there a smoker in the House? 

IT IS 11.30am. After one-and-a-half hours of work, a few workers slip out of the office and sneak a quick cigarette or five. Slowly, and in informal shifts so that the office isn't left too empty, the workers are joined by other colleagues, who all gather round for coffee shop-talk, a plate of mee goreng or a bowl of bubur kacang, teh tarik and an illicit puff.

No Smoking signs abound everywhere. They are ignored. . . . .

Whether the MPs like it or not, Parliament is a government premise, and hence, a no-smoking zone.

Two weeks ago in the Dewan Rakyat, Titiwangsa MP Dr Lo' Lo' Mohamad Ghazali, a first-timer in the Federal Parliament, expressed her shock at the discovery of MPs freely smoking in Parliament, which is supposed to be smoke-free.

She said MPs were supposed to be good role models . . .

So, after all that money has been spent, just how effective has the campaign been?

There's no need to spend a lot of money on surveys around the country to gauge the effectiveness of the campaign. Just one day in Parliament ought to do it.

So what? you might say -- smokers can be delinquent that way. Except, these 'workers' are Parliamentarians, and the 'office' is the Dewan Rakyat, and the cafetaria and lounge are in the Parliament building.

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The race against cancer 

SUZANNA PILLAY writes about 'Relay for Life', the run organised by the National Cancer Society Malaysia on Saturday. Take part to raise funds and awareness of the disease.

PREPARATIONS are in full swing for "Relay for Life", the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM)'s 16-hour overnight race on Saturday.

Some 5,000 people are expected to participate in the event aiming to raise funds and awareness of cancer. . . .

At last count, 4,000 people including individuals and families, 250 cancer survivors and 150 teams from corporations have already confirmed their participation. The event is a double celebration of sorts, she said, as it will also mark World No Tobacco Day, held in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

"Tobacco is the number one cause of cancer, with 30 per cent of cancer deaths worldwide attributed to it. It is commonly associated with all of the major cancers, including cervical cancer (the number two cancer in women), and colorectal, kidney and bladder cancers.

If you get rid of tobacco and second-hand smoke, you prevent one-third of all cancers," said Dr Saunthari.

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Deadly smoke signals 

Quitting smoking is no easy matter however strong-willed you are because it's a drug addiction. KASMIAH MUSTAPHA speaks to doctors on how people can kick the habit. World No Tobacco Day falls on May 31.

Dr Zarihah says both the young and old among smokers need help. Dr Hussain says the root of the problem is addiction to nicotine, which acts like a 'pleasure drug' Dr Mohamad Haniki believes in the '5 As' approach to help smokers overcome their addiction.

SMOKING has been deemed a chronic illness. Therefore, helping smokers to quit takes on special urgency in the light of this day set apart to address the issue.

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Cancer kills smoking habit 

A chain-smoker for over two decades finally arrested his addiction when he found out he had lung cancer.

FOR over 20 years, Teo Chee Bin has been smoking between 10 and 20 cigarettes per day.

The chain-smoker blames stress as the reason he picked up the habit. Though aware of the dangers of smoking, the 42-year-old could not make himself quit.

But three years ago, he finally kicked the habit.

"I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005," . . .

In 2003, there were 1,758 lung cancer cases in Peninsular Malaysia of which 13.8 per cent were male and 3.8 per cent, female.

Exposure to second-hand smoke is reported to be the main cause of lung cancer in women.

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• Cigarette Smoking the Reason for Rise in Lung Cancer Cases 

The risk of getting lung cancer for Chinese males is one in 20 and that for Malays and Indians is one in 40.The number of lung cancer cases has gone up from 2,256 in 2002 to more than 3,000 last year, and the cause has fallen squarely on cigarette smoking.

Almost 70 per cent of the smokers were in the third and fourth stage of the disease when they came in for treatment, Institute of Respiratory Medicine (IRM) director Datin Dr Aziah Ahmad Mahayiddin said.

She said even with the best treatment, their survival rate was slim.

"I just do not know what to do because even when we conduct free lung-function tests for smokers at hospital or at shopping complexes, the smokers never come forward to check their lungs.

"They, instead, ask their wives to check theirs. It is always non- smokers who come forward," she said.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer among males of all three major ethnic groups in Malaysia.

Dr Aziah said IRM, which saw at least two new lung cancer patients every week, was also seeing younger men detected with the disease.

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Cigarette smoking the reason for rise in lung cancer cases 

The number of lung cancer cases has gone up from 2,256 in 2002 to more than 3,000 last year, and the cause has fallen squarely on cigarette smoking.

Almost 70 per cent of the smokers were in the third and fourth stage of the disease when they came in for treatment, Institute of Respiratory Medicine (IRM) director Datin Dr Aziah Ahmad Mahayiddin said.

She said even with the best treatment, their survival rate was slim. . . .

The risk of getting lung cancer for Chinese males is one in 20 and that for Malays and Indians is one in 40.

Dr Aziah said IRM, which saw at least two new lung cancer patients every week, was also seeing younger men detected with the disease.

A few years ago, it only saw lung cancer patients aged 60 and above but in the past two years, it had been treating patients aged 45 and above.

Tobacco smoke is the primary cause of lung cancer.

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Dangers of smoking 'underestimated' 

Deputy Health director-general Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat said many underestimated the risk attached to smoking.

He said smokers had the right to be warned about the dangers of cigarettes, just like other people who use hazardous consumer products.

"Well-designed and prominent pictorial warnings on cigarette packs and packages have been shown to increase public awareness of the hazards and provide meaningful information to tobacco users in the most cost-effective manner."

Dr Ramlee was speaking at the regional meeting on the implementation of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) Article 11 (tobacco packaging and labelling). "Malaysia is in the advanced stages of amending the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004, making it obligatory for cigarettes sold in Malaysia to carry graphic health warnings."

He said the target date for implementation was December

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RM250 fine for a puff in no-smoking areas 

Bad news for smokers in they city -- those who puff in no-smoking areas will be slapped with a fine of RM250 with immediate effective.

This has been enforced by the Federal Territory Health Department in conjunction with World Tobacco Day on May 31.

Deputy director (public health) Dr Sallehudin Abu Bakar said the department was coming down hard on smokers who continued to flout the law.

"We will enforce the tobacco control regulations, besides stationing more enforcement officers at no-smoking zones, like hospitals, government offices and shopping complexes.

"We are intensifying efforts to mark World Tobacco Day and to stop more people from smoking,"

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RM250 fine for a puff in no-smoking areas 

KUALA LUMPUR: Bad news for smokers in they city -- those who puff in no-smoking areas will be slapped with a fine of RM250 with immediate effective.

This has been enforced by the Federal Territory Health Department in conjunction with World Tobacco Day on May 31.

Deputy director (public health) Dr Sallehudin Abu Bakar said the department was coming down hard on smokers who continued to flout the law.

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KL ENFORCES SMOKING BAN IN NO-SMOKING AREAS 

Hardcore smokers who still insist in puffing away in no-smoking areas will be slapped with a fine of RM250 (US$78) starting Tuesday.

Kuala Lumpur deputy director of health Dr Sallehuddin Abu Bakar said the department would enforce the tobacco control regulations in a big way to mark the World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

"From January to March, smokers caught puffing away in no-smoking areas were only given warning," he told reporters here Tuesday.

Starting this month, however, smokers caught would be fined and they had two weeks to settle the fine or face legal action, he said.

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