Fairus Anuar was always used to excusing himself from his wife and three children whenever he needed to smoke.
He did not want his family to be victims of passive smoking, and he would willingly go outdoors whenever he needed to light up at home.
But that changed two months ago. The 38-year-old online businessman gradually switched to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as an alternative to curb his smoking habit.
Though he found the act of refilling and cleaning his vape equipment to be tedious, he appreciated the absence of “smokey” odour on him and the fact he did not have to step outside every 30 minutes or so.
More importantly, vaping and e-cigarettes enabled him to control the amount of nicotine he consumed, which gradually reduced his desire for conventional cigarettes.
“I had been smoking for 17 years. I tried quitting before, but it was unbearable. E-cigarettes gave me an alternative means to gradually reduce my addiction to cigarettes.
“There is less odour from smoke on me which the wife certainly appreciates,” he said, while admitting he would have made the switch sooner if he knew about the alternative products available for hardcore smokers like him.
Fairus is among a growing number of people who want access to products which could reduce the risk of smoking.
A recent survey on 1,000 Malaysian adults by independent market research and consulting firm, Ipsos showed that 85 per cent of respondents believed they should be given access to alternative cigarette options if the products were known to reduce the risks of smoking.
The survey conducted online titled “Attitudes Toward Smoke-Free Alternatives and Public Health: Malaysia Survey”, which was conducted from Sept 6-15, revealed that at least 85 per cent of Malaysian respondents believed the government should do all they can to encourage switching to cigarette alternatives.
Global sentiments are increasingly skewed towards supporting governments that encourage smokers to switch to alternatives.
This global survey, commissioned by Philip Morris International (PMI) and conducted by Ipsos, revealed that 77 per cent of adults agree that governments should do all they can to encourage men and women, who would otherwise keep smoking cigarettes to completely switch to better alternatives.
The findings from the Malaysian demographic of the survey mirrored increasing awareness worldwide about the role of cigarette alternatives in helping people quit smoking.
A resounding 88 per cent of respondents viewed cigarette alternatives as a way to complement other efforts to reduce the harm caused by cigarettes.
Traditionally, alternatives have involved e-cigarettes and vape, but in recent times, heat not burn tobacco alternatives have gained prominence, most notably in Japan where it has seen a 20 per cent decline in cigarette consumption in the past three years.
Other less visible smoke-free products include nicotine salt pods at vape stores, and snus or powder tobacco found in retail shops.
Their availability in Malaysia suggests there is consumer demand for a variety of cigarette alternatives.
This is a positive outcome as smoking still ranked as a public health issue which is on par with obesity, alcoholism and opioid use.
Another person who has discovered the benefits of alternative through heat not burn products is former smoker Jonathan Lee, 37.
“This device has changed things for me. It’s changed my lifestyle, and in fact, those around me find it less of a nuisance.
“It smells way better. It does not contain any ash. And it does not emit as much vapour as a traditional vape, hence it is not so conspicuous,” he said.
An e-cigarette user, who only wanted to be known as Terence, said his switch to cigarette alternatives was not a smooth transition. But he stuck to it due to the savings he made in his monthly expenses.
“I started smoking vape and e-cigarettes a few years back. But later, I stopped vaping because of the hassle in changing coils and other parts of the device.
“The device I am currently using is more advanced and only sets me back RM80 to RM 100 per month, which is much lower than the RM600 I used to spend on 12 packs of cigarettes per month,” he said.
Clearly, Lee's and Terrence's experiences prove that there are many benefits of switching from conventional cigarettes to alternatives.
Whether it is for health or environmental reasons, the positive impact of alternatives such as e-cigarettes and heat not burn products cannot be ignored, and therefore this development, especially on the scientific and technological front, should be further encouraged.