Advocates Seek Legal Smoking Age Hike to 21

By Subaashinee Kupusamy,

PETALING JAYA, 14 August: Health advocates in Malaysia are urging the government to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. This push is part of a broader effort to curb tobacco use among young people, who are most susceptible to picking up the habit between these ages. Advocates argue that raising the smoking age could significantly reduce the number of new smokers and protect the youth from nicotine addiction and its associated health risks. The proposal is aligned with global trends where many countries have already implemented similar age restrictions.

Supporters of the change highlight that smoking at a young age often leads to lifelong addiction, contributing to severe health issues, including lung cancer and heart disease. By delaying the age at which individuals can legally purchase tobacco, the hope is to decrease smoking rates and reduce the long-term burden on the healthcare system. Health organizations stress the importance of this measure as a preventative strategy that can lead to a healthier population and a reduction in smoking-related diseases.

Raising the smoking age is seen as a necessary step to protect future generations and align Malaysia with international public health standards. Advocates are calling on lawmakers to prioritize this issue and implement the age increase as part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control as stated in FMT.