KUALA LUMPUR: The provision prohibiting Malaysians born after 2007 from buying or consuming nicotine products has been dropped from the latest version of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023.
The third and latest version of the bill, made available to members of parliament and the media today, did not include any provision banning those born Jan 1, 2007 onwards from smoking any tobacco or substitute tobacco products.
It only mentioned the prohibition of selling any tobacco product, smoking substance or substitute tobacco product to any person who is a minor, under Clause 13, and prohibits a minor from smoking or using any tobacco product in Clause 17.
The second version of the bill tabled for its first reading in June this year, included clauses prohibiting any person born Jan 1, 2007 onwards from smoking any tobacco or substitute tobacco products, or from using any smoking device with any smoking substance.
They were listed as Clause 18 and 19.
In the new bill, Clause 18 was replaced with a law requiring an owner or occupant of any building, location, area or vehicle to follow the rules declaring it as a non-smoking area.
Clause 19, meanwhile, provides for matters related to labelling and packaging of any tobacco product or smoking substance.
The ministry had referred the second version of the bill to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee after it was tabled for its first reading earlier this year.
However, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had retracted its second reading, which was listed as item number four in the Orders Of The Day and Motions in Parliament.
She then tabled a new bill - under the same name - for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Dr Zaliha said the second reading for the new bill would be scheduled for tomorrow (Nov 29).