MMA unhappy with sale of small packs

Sun2Surf: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is unhappy with the government's decision to postpone the ban on the sale of small cigarette packs to 2010 when it was due to be banned this year.
Its president, Datuk Dr Teoh Siang Chin, said the move is contrary to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which was ratified by the prime minister last August.
"The FCTC states that each party shall endeavour to prohibit the sale of cigarettes individually or in small packets, which increase the affordability of such products to minors," he said in a statement yesterday.
Teoh said the problem of smoking has to be combated on the personal, family, socio-economic and pharmacological fronts.
Cigarette smoking is the single most avoidable cause of premature death and disability through cancer, heart disease and lung disorders, he said.
It must be seen as a chronic dependency disease that starts in adolescence.
"Though many smokers repeatedly try to quit, success is less than 3% in the UK, and is no better here," he said.
Teoh said Malaysia has one of the highest rates of smokers in the world "with almost 50% of adult males habituated".
He urged the government to stop the Expo Tembakau '05, to be held later this month.
"It is nothing less than blatant advertising by the tobacco industry," he said.
"We urge the government to stop this event as it will result in confusing signals to the public."