Deputy Health Minister Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the use of other items containing nicotine, such as e-cigarettes, vape and shisha, would also be affected.
At present 22 areas have been gazetted as smoke-free zones: these include religious places, rest areas on the highways and educational institutions, including universities.
If smokers are caught smoking, they will be fined a minimum of RM250 and a maximum of RM5,000 under the Tobacco Control Act 2004.
“We hope with this initiative, the number of active smokers can be reduced drastically as smoking does more harm than good,” he told reporters after the launch of ‘No Tobacco Day’ here in Teluk Bahang National Park today.
He said all states were also conducting a pilot project called ‘One Stop Centre For Addiction’ to help people stop all kinds of addiction, including drugs.
According to the state’s senior principal assistant director for non-communicable disease control, Dr Azizah Abd Manan, the pilot project is being conducted in Butterworth and thus far, public response has been encouraging.