Malaysia looks to put health warnings on individual cigarettes

Each cigarette sold in Malaysia could be printed with a health warning under proposals being considered by the country’s Health Ministry.

In addition, cigarette pack health warnings could be increased in size, according to a story in The Star.

Under the proposed amendments to the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, the ministry is proposing to have every cigarette imprinted with the words ‘Smoking is hazardous to health’; a message that currently appears on packs.

The proposals call also for an increase in the size of pictorial health warnings from at least 40 per cent to at least 50 per cent of each pack.

Meanwhile, according to Health Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, maximum cigarette tar and nicotine delivery levels are to be reduced in June from 20 mg to 15 mg and from 1.5 mg to 1.3 mg respectively.

He said the tobacco industry would be given another two to three years to cut the tar delivery level from 15 mg to 10 mg and the nicotine delivery level from 1.3 mg to 1.0 mg.