On the 29th of August, Bait Al Amanah co-organised a forum titled “Can Malaysia Quit Like Sweden?” featuring national and international public health experts to promote proven Swedish harm reduction strategies that could help Malaysian smokers transition to safer alternatives. Hidayath Hisham from The Malaysian Reserve wrote an article covering the event.
With an estimated five million smokers, Malaysia faces a significant public health crisis. Experts urge the country to explore innovative solutions to this issue.
The forum with Quit Like Sweden (QLS), a not-for profit organisation, brought together leading figures in tobacco harm reduction, including Dr. Anders Milton and Dr. Fredril Nystrom from Sweden, alongside Prof. Dr. Sharifah Ezat Wan Puteh from Malaysia and Prof. Marewa Glover from New Zealand.
Dr Milton, pinpointed the key factor behind Sweden’s success; public awareness and understanding whereas Dr. Nystrom emphasised education. While Sweden has implemented smoking bans in public spaces, the real driver of change is the educated public's acceptance of safer alternatives.
Prof. Dr. Sharifa Ezat offered a sobering assessment of Malaysia's challenges, stating that the growing prevalence of illicit tobacco products cigarettes and the black market hinders efforts to reduce smoking rates despite the tax increases. She instead stressed the urgent need for stricter regulations and quality control measures for vaping products to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Prof. Marewa Glover emphasised the importance of clear communication about the relative risks of smoking versus vaping to empower informed decisions. In contrast to taxing vaping products, New Zealand adopted a more flexible approach, even reducing the excise tax on heated tobacco products by 50%.
The speakers collectively stressed the need for Malaysia to prioritise public education and adopt harm reduction strategies to combat smoking-related diseases. Suely Castro, founding director of QLS, highlighted the importance of accessible, acceptable, and affordable smoking alternatives. Citing Sweden’s success in reducing smoking rates and cancer incidence by 41% compared to the European average, Castro believes that Malaysia can achieve similar outcomes by adopting the Swedish model.
The event provided a clear roadmap for Malaysia. By embracing harm reduction and tailoring proven strategies, Malaysia can significantly reduce smoking-related deaths and diseases. achieve similar outcomes with the right policies in place.
*This article was written by Hidayath Hisham in The Malaysian Reserve
Photo credit : The Malaysian Reserve
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