KUALA LUMPUR: Society must be wary of efforts by the tobacco industry to promote cigarettes as smoking is harmful to the health and can kill.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said people have a right to healthy living via tobacco control and should not be in cahoot with the industry.
“Parents must be role models for children and wary of efforts targeting children as new smokers. Teenagers or students must make the right choice and not believe myths created by the tobacco industry,” he said in a message to mark World No Tobacco Day 2012 today.
The event with the theme “Tobacco Industry Interference” focuses on the need to expose policy makers and the public to efforts by the tobacco industry to interfere in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
Liow said scientific evidence shows that exposure to cigarette smoke causes death, diseases and disabilities.
“As signatory to FCTC, Malaysia has to adopt and implement laws, executive, administrative and other methods to protect the public from exposure to tobacco smoke at work places, public places, public transport and other areas.”
The World Bank and WHO have taken effective measures to reduce the demand and supply of tobacco products in the market via increase in the price and tax. — Bernama