[SURVEY] 5 In 10 Malaysians Believe That Smoke-Free Alternatives Are Less Harmful
67% of respondents also believed that smoke-free alternatives should be regulated differently.
The government spends billions of ringgit to treat smoking-related diseases, and the cost only increases each year
This is why the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill, also known as Generational Endgame (GEG), was introduced.
Ultimately, the bill aims to end smoking for children born in 2007 and the subsequent years, which means they can't smoke, buy, or possess any type of smoking product, including smoke-free alternatives like e-cigarettes, vape kits, and tobacco heating devices, even when they reach 18 years old.
The government hopes that with the restriction in place, the cost of medical expenditure for smoking-related diseases will be lowered and they can safeguard the lives of millions of Malaysian youth.
However, the bill has received mixed reactions from policymakers and the public, as some believe the restrictions to be too harsh, and that devices like vape and e-cigarettes shouldn't be regulated the same as cigarettes.
On 12 June, the bill was re-tabled at Dewan Rakyat, where the decision was made to refer the bill to a parliamentary select committee (PSC) to be further reviewed.
A survey was conducted by the New Straits Times recently to gauge what Malaysians think of smoke-free alternatives and see whether they should be regulated differently than cigarettes.
Over 5,000 respondents shared their thoughts. Here are the findings:
1. Three out of five Malaysians wrongfully perceived that all smoke-free alternatives are the same
Image via Abdiel Ibarra (Unsplash)
Although the three devices are considered smoke-free alternatives, heated tobacco products use real tobacco, which is heated to a temperature below combustion to release a nicotine aerosol. Meanwhile e-cigarettes and vapes heat liquids that include nicotine and flavourings.
2. Shockingly, more than half of the respondents thought nicotine is the primary cause of smoking-related diseases
59% of the respondents believed that nicotine is what causes smoking-related diseases, whereas 20% blamed cigarette smoke and 12% were unsure of the cause.
This is a misconception as nicotine is a chemical compound frequently found in everyday produce such as potatoes, tea, and cauliflower. Moreover, the fact that nicotine is used by devices that promote smoking cessation such as nicotine gum and patches indicates that it's not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases.
3. More than half of the respondents are of the opinion that smoke-free alternatives shouldn't be allowed in our country
Possibly due to certain misconceptions, 56% of Malaysians agreed that there should be a ban on smoke-free alternatives like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and vapes, whereas 16% were still indecisive with their decision.
This shows that respondents lack the understanding that alternatives and categories of alternatives each have their own risk profile and should thus be regulated accordingly.
4. Nevertheless, 5 out of 10 respondents believed that smoke-free alternatives were an improvement to cigarettes
Image via Vaporesso (Unsplash)
In fact, 7 out of 10 respondents aged 25 to 34 shared that sentiment.
The main harmful substance in a cigarette is the smoke released after burning the tobacco. A burning cigarette releases more than 7,000 chemicals, about 69 of which have been classified by public experts to cause cancer and are toxic, which is why electronic devices like e-cigarettes, vape, and heated tobacco products are considered less harmful.
5. Smoke-free alternatives are not completely unknown to Malaysians — five in 10 respondents said they were familiar with these options
51% of the respondents were familiar with smoke-free alternatives, while 24% of respondents were unfamiliar with smoke-free alternatives.
6. However, only three out of five Malaysians agreed that there is sufficient access to information regarding smoke-free alternatives
Of all respondents, 67% of them believed that smoke-free alternatives should be regulated differently.
The same percentage of Malaysians said that they are all for adult smokers having adequate access to information on smoke-free alternatives.
Based on the survey, it is clear that there is still a gap in knowledge when it comes to traditional cigarettes and smoke-free alternatives.
Nevertheless, with more awareness and better access to information, perhaps we can continue moving forward in the right direction.
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