Malaysia - ban on 14-stick cigarette packs delayed worry about increase in illicit cigarettes..

May 29, 2010 - Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has confirmed a delay in banning small cigarette packets over concerns of rising illicit trade despite a tobacco company mulling a legal suit over the policy flip-flop. The government had earlier banned small pack cigarettes effective this June 1 but that deadline has been reportedly pushed to Jan 1, 2011. The health minister is concerned that the elimination of small packs of cigarettes will lead to an increase in illicit (illegal, contraband, smuggled) cigarettes.

Background: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) today, April 7th lauded the Health Ministry's proposal to ban the sale of 14-stick cigarette packs beginning June 1, 2010 to deter youths, especially schoolchildren, from picking up the smoking habit, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. (Malaysia - Health Ministry's proposal to ban the sale of 14-stick cigarette packs beginning June 1, 2010..)

Malaysia - increase in number of women smoking.. In Malaysia, it is estimated that 50 percent of the male population smoke while women smokers comprise of about 20 percent of the world's more than 1 billion smokers.

The Customs Department estimates that more than 38 percent of cigarettes sold in Malaysia are illegal. (Malaysia - slight decrease in illicit cigarettes; JTI Malaysia q1 2010 market share increases..)

Liow said the government will only arrive at a decision on whether or not to go ahead with the original Cabinet directive to stop the sale of 14-stick packs in “a few months”. The minister noted that the exemption for regulations 9 and 16 of the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, which ban the manufacture and sale of cigarette packs with less than 20 sticks, only extends to the end of 2010.

Philip Morris (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (PMM) has threatened legal action over the government’s flip-flopping over the small pack ban. "British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd (BAT) is aware that the government has decided to defer the ban on 14-stick cigarette packs which is suppose to take effect on 1st June 2010,” BAT said in a statement. "BAT has not received formal notification from the government and are seeking clarification on this matter. As such, we are unable to provide further comments until we receive further clarification,” it added.

Reference: Tobacco firm fumes as Liow confirms policy U-turn by Yow Hong Chieh, themalaysianinsider.com, 5/27/2010.

Malaysia - some related news briefs:
Malaysia - slight decrease in illicit cigarettes; JTI Malaysia q1 2010 market share increases..;
Malaysia - Health Ministry's proposal to ban the sale of 14-stick cigarette packs beginning June 1, 2010..;
Malaysia - increase in number of women smoking..;
Malaysia - new strategy to penalize retailers who sell contraband cigarettes..;
Malaysia - youth and student smokers may not receive aid from government..;
Malaysia - two tobacco control regulations starting January 1, 2010..
Malaysia - about 368,000 teenager smokers in the country, 50-60 added per day..;
Malaysia - sale of cigarettes in packets of less than 20 prohibited as of June 1, 2010..;
Malaysia - stepping up efforts to curb the trade in illicit cigarettes..;
Malaysia - BAT plans to dispose of a parcel of industrial land..;
Malaysia - ban on cigarette sponsorship for sports will not be withdrawn..;
Malaysia - cigarette-shaped sweets packaged like cigarettes;
Malaysia - Penang consumer group ban cheap cigarettes and increase price on premium..;
Malaysia - Kelantin State Government may not promote staff who smoke..;
Malaysia - excise duty increased on tobacco - another increase could be coming this month..;
Malaysia - smoking limits your quality of life..;
Malaysia - smoking civil servants in Penang to receive free nicotine treatment..;
Malaysia - illicit cigarettes, BAT wants government to slow excise duty increases..;
Peninsular Malaysia - one of three cigarette packs is either contraband or fake..;
Komtar, Penang, Malaysia smoking ban strictly enforced..;
Malaysia student forced to smoke 40 cigarettes in two hours..
Malaysia - PSD and Cuepacs are at odds over the no-smoking rule at government de­­partments and agencies..;
Malaysia: Are tobacco control measures working? - WHO thinks so...;
Malaysia - slowdown in cigarette consumption..;
Malaysia - January 1, 2009 pictorial cigarette warnings..;
Malaysia to hike cigarette prices..;
Malaysia - 25% of all cigarettes sales are illegal...Peninsular Malaysia - one of three cigarette packs is either contraband or fake..;
Komtar, Penang, Malaysia smoking ban strictly enforced..;
Malaysia student forced to smoke 40 cigarettes in two hours..
Malaysia - PSD and Cuepacs are at odds over the no-smoking rule at government de­­partments and agencies..;
Malaysia: Are tobacco control measures working? - WHO thinks so...;
Malaysia - slowdown in cigarette consumption..;
Malaysia - January 1, 2009 pictorial cigarette warnings..;
Malaysia to hike cigarette prices..;
Malaysia - 25% of all cigarettes sales are illegal...

- Malaysia is a member of Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA)..