Act 852: A proactive step to safeguard public health, environment

KUALA LUMPUR: The Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which will come into effect next Tuesday, is expected to bring significant benefits to public health and environmental sustainability.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said the government is committed to curbing smoking habits among the public through law enforcement and continuous public education initiatives.

"We cannot provide an absolute guarantee, but with the enforcement and increased awareness driven by Act 852, we are confident that efforts to reduce environmental pollution will succeed," he told reporters after officiating the 10th National Environmental Health Action Plan (NEHAP) Conference 2024 here today.

He added that the enforcement of the Act is not intended to burden the people with stricter regulations but rather to safeguard overall public health.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had previously announced that Act 852 would come into force on Oct 1, covering regulations on registration, sales, packaging, labelling and smoking bans in public places.

Meanwhile, Lukanisman said the conference theme 'Environmental Health In The New Era: Journey To A Sustainable Future' was in line with World Environmental Health Day, observed annually on Sept 26.

The conference serves as a platform for presenting papers on environmental health and provides an opportunity for participants to interact and exchange views on the country's environmental health issues.

-- BERNAMA