On July 27, local time, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin introduced the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill 2022 to Parliament. The bill, if passed, would ban people born after January 1, 2007, from smoking, buying or possessing tobacco products in the country, even if they are 18 years old or older. Under the proposal, store owners and distributors would be banned from selling such products to anyone in this age group.
The law was originally intended to apply to everyone born after 2005. After consulting with various stakeholders, Khairy decided to add a two-year buffer to allow for the implementation of plans, community education and enforcement, the report said.
