Smoking in Malaysia
In Malaysia, cigarettes are legally sold, purchased, smoked, and imported, but it is illegal to buy them from vending machines or online. Also, health warnings on packaging are mandatory, but there are no legal restrictions on smoking in public places. The minimum age to buy cigarettes is 18 years. The total taxation rate applied to cigarettes is 51.6% including a specific excise rate of 45.98%. Available data indicate that smoking remains prevalent in Malaysia with around 4.9 million current smokers recorded in 2024, representing an overall adults current smoking prevalence of 17.9%, 0.5% among females and 33.6% among males. In 2021, smoking-related deaths was approximately 24,100, which represented 10.75% of all deaths that year, 15.03% among males and 4.44% among females.
Read articles from Malaysia
October 01, 2019 by reuters.com
Malaysia pushes for strict law to police vapes, e-cigarettes
Malaysia is planning to introduce strict regulations on the sale and use of electronic cigarettes and vaporisers, health officials said on Tuesday, as countries around the world move to ban devices that have been linked to deaths and youth addiction. Malaysia wants to club e-cigarettes and vaporisers together with tobacco products under a single law that would prohibit promotions and advertising, usage in public areas and use by minors, the health ministry said.
December 18, 2018 by thesundaily.my
Fuming over ‘smokeless’ cigarette alternative
A non-governmental organisation [...] took to task tobacco companies for allegedly sugar-coating its “safer alternatives to cigarettes”.
In maintaining that every nicotine and tobacco consumption device is a health hazard as they deliver chemicals into the respiratory system, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) called for stricter controls, if not a total ban, on such smoking alternatives.
theSun had last Friday highlighted the local introduction of a device called “Heets heat stick” by Philip Morris Malaysia recently.
November 01, 2018 by thestar.com.my
Hike in cigarette prices won't lead to more smokers turning to illicit cigarettes, says Health Minister
While cigarette prices will go up, it will not be so drastic as to make smokers turn to illicit cigarettes to satisfy their addiction, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
"In our assessment, we are not only looking at increasing duties but also the effect of taxation on illicit cigarettes.
"The lower income group will turn to illicit cigarattes if prices go up to a level where it becomes unaffordable to them," he said when replying a supplementary question raised by Wong Chen (PH-Subang) in Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 31).
August 31, 2018 by thestar.com.my
Prices of cigarettes to go up after sales tax fixed at 10%
Sales and Service Tax (SST) for cigarettes has been gazetted at 10% as of Aug 29, and this will cause the prices of cigarette to increase.
British American Tobacco (M) Bhd (BAT) managing director Erik Stoel said the company is concerned about the impact that the 10% SST will have on the cigarette industry, given the high incidence of illegal cigarettes.
He urged the Government to re-consider an SST increase on tobacco products "in light of these high levels of illegal cigarette trade [...]
April 20, 2018 by theedgemalaysia.com
BAT Malaysia seeks clearer regulations
British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd (BAT Malaysia) said it will hold off any plan to introduce e-cigarettes or other reduced-harm products in Malaysia until there are clear regulations on these products.
“We are a bit concerned that if we do introduce these products, the regulatory framework would not be as sharp (clear) as they should be,” BAT Malaysia group managing director Erik Stoel told a media briefing [...]
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