'War' on smoking stepped up June 1

Starting Monday, all cigarette packs must display pictorial health warnings on illnesses caused by tobacco.

Those caught selling packs without the pictorial warning would be fined RM10,000 or two years' jail, or both under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations (Amended) 2008.

Director-general of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said cigarette packs must display pictorial health warnings prominently on the front and back.

The pictorial warning must cover 40 per cent of the front and 60 per cent of the back.

Cigarettes are drawing millions of Malaysians into spending more than RM15 million daily. This amounts to a staggering RM6 billion annually.
Despite an aggressive campaign by the government to say "no" to cigarettes, Malaysians smoke 30 million sticks a day.

According to the Malaysian Medical Association's Committee on Action on Smoking and Health, 50 per cent of the 3.5 million smokers nationwide smoked nearly 10 sticks a day.

In 2005 and 2006, more than 30,000 children, some as young as 10, started smoking.

More than 10,000 people a year die of smoking-related illnesses.