Company fined for selling tobacco products online

A company was fined RM2,500 at the Magistrates' Court here for selling tobacco products online in violation of Rule 10A (1) of the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement today said monitoring and investigation by the Health Ministry found that the company had been selling various brands of tobacco products online for as low as RM20.

"Selling online is not only against the regulations, but it has thwarted the government's intention to restrict the availability of tobacco products, especially among the youth under 18," he said.

Regulation 10A (1) states that, "No person shall sell or offer for sale any tobacco products online."

Dr Noor Hisham said the selling of tobacco products online should be controlled so that the public, especially teenagers, cannot buy or possess tobacco products easily and make room for cigarette availability which makes smoking prevalent among adolescents.

"The Health Ministry views this matter seriously and will continue to take stern action," he said.

-- BERNAMA