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Raising the cigarettes price is an important measure to reduce the consumption of cigarettes and smoking rate. Besides price, other measures of tobacco control policies also play essential roles in determining the demand for cigarettes in Malaysia. In this study, the impact of tobacco control policies on consumption of cigarettes was examined using the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) technique. The study found that higher cigarettes price due to excise tax significantly decreased consumption of cigarette in the long run. An increase of 10% in the price of cigarettes reduces 7.69% of its consumption. Other measures of tobacco control policies except the “Tak Nak” campaign were also found to have reduced the consumption of cigarette significantly. The study concludes that the effective ways of reducing the use of cigarettes are by increasing the cigarette tax and strengthening the enforcement of other tobacco policies measures.

Worldwide, the number of cigarette smokers is increasing. All tobacco products come in packs. Packaging and branding are important elements of advertising and promotion. The plain packaging concept introduced by the World Health Organization, where marketing elements such as branding appeal are removed from the cigarette pack, is said to be effective for reducing smoking habits. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the influence of plain packaging on smoking behavior.This systematic review was conducted using 2 databases (Scopus and Web of Science). We did not search for unpublished reports. The search was performed from September 2020 to December 2020 in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The inclusion criteria were original article that used a qualitative or quantitative method, English-language article, published in 2016-2020, and availability of full-text article.A total of 15 studies were included. All of the studies had adequate methodological quality. Most of the studies reported the effectiveness of plain packaging in preventing smoking initiation among nonsmokers. However, more studies reported no effect of plain packaging on smoking behavior among smokers. Furthermore, there was a greater impact of plain packaging on smoking behavior among female smokers and those who had recently started smoking.Plain packaging is more effective for evoking negative smoking behavior among nonsmokers than among smokers. As many of the included studies did not stratify the results based on age group and gender, future research should address these issues.

E-cigarette has been marketed over years as one of alternative smoking cessation aid offered for consumer worldwide. The addition of flavouring in e-liquid has become a major factor that contributes to the appeal of using e-cigarette among a non-smoker and youngster has raised concerns due to possible risk and hazard outcomes in daily usage is remain unclear to date. In order to fully understand the e-cigarette attributes towards human health and environment; 17 e-liquid products locally sold were bought and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) in order to determine the chemical constituent of e-liquid, especially the flavouring additive. A total of 19 out of 41 identified chemical compounds were detected as a new flavouring agent used in e-liquid products since there was no previous report on this. Many of the flavour chemicals possessed a risk of inhalation toxicity because they were classified as corrosive and/or irritant, with only a few having acute toxicity and the potential to cause cancer. Moreover, several chemical compounds to be concerned such as stimulant as well as opioid types were unexpectedly identified in the e-liquid. Thus, this finding indicate that the chemical constituent of e-liquid contained unknown risk of toxicity and further research is needed to fully understand the possibility of adverse effect in using e-cigarette.

ObjectivesWe compared the smoking prevalence, smoking knowledge, attitudes and practices (S-KAP) between smoke-free campuses (SFCs) and non-SFCs (NSFCs) and determined the associated factors of smoking status and S-KAP.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingsThe research was conducted in four public universities in Malaysia; two SFCs and two NSFCs.ParticipantsStudents and staff from SFCs (n=1063) and NSFCs (n=1040).Main outcome measuresCompared the smoking prevalence, S-KAP between SFCs and NSFCs and determined the associated factors.ResultsThe prevalence of smokers among the SFC and NSFC respondents was 5.2% and 6.7%, respectively. University type and smoking attitude were significantly related (p=0.02). At the SFCs, the factors associated with becoming a smoker were male gender (pConclusionOverall, smoking prevalence, knowledge and practice were not much different between SFCs and NSFCs. However, there was a significant relationship between university type and smoking attitude due to the existence of the SFC policy likely rendering smoking a less acceptable social norm. Continual education programmes on smoking harms and smoking cessation strategies are highly recommended to aid the SFC policy in preventing secondhand smoke in universities.

Positive smoker identity (PSI) is a construct that evaluates the degree of smokers&rsquo, positive thoughts, images and feeling about smoking behavior and culture. PSI encompasses the indicators related to tobacco denormalization strategy, which is one of the four WHO tobacco endgame strategies. PSmoQi is a newly validated instrument which could reliably assess PSI. This study&rsquo, s objectives were to determine the prevalence of positive smoker identity and its associated factors using PSmoQi. A sample of 253 smokers from government agencies in Kota Bharu City, Malaysia were recruited using invitation letters sent to their head of agencies. Data collection was done in a briefing session voluntary attended by the smokers. Factors associated with PSI were analyzed using Multiple Logistic Regression. The prevalence of smokers with positive smoker identity was 72.3%. Factors associated with positive smoker identity were older age (Adjusted Odds ratio, AOR: 1.042, 95% confident interval, CI: 1.004, 1.081), p = 0.028), higher smoking self-concept scale Malay version (SSCS-M) score (AOR: 1.216, 95% CI: 1.112, 1.329, p &lt, 0.001), higher heaviness index (AOR: 1.002, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.004, p = 0.011) and lower educational attainment (AOR: 0.458, 95% CI: 0.233, 0.900, p = 0.024). This study shows a high prevalence of PSI among smokers from government agencies in Kota Bharu City. Factors such as age, SSCS-M score, heaviness index and educational attainment influenced the level of positive smoker identity in a smoker. The finding would contribute an evidentiary guideline in screening smokers for smoking cessation clinic enrollment to achieve the best interventional outcome, as well as it would provide an objective indicator for tobacco denormalization status in a population.

Background: The positive smoker identity construct, which was based on West&rsquo, s PRIME Theory, affected the smoking prevalence, quit attempts and cessation success. A validated questionnaire which could measure this rich and complex construct may facilitate prediction models of successful cessation. We aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire that assesses positive smoker identity based on West&rsquo, s PRIME Theory. Method: The initial item pool was developed based on a theoretical framework, empirical literature, existing scales and expert review. The questionnaire was conveniently distributed to 100 smokers. Exploratory factor analysis was utilized to explore domains in the questionnaire. Construct and criterion validity, internal consistency and reliability of the domains were analyzed. Results: The final positive smoker identity questionnaire (PSmoQi) has 26 items under four internally-consistent and reliable domains: Contributory factors, contextual and temporal patterning, identity related to smoking, and behaviour in relation to smoking. The full scale demonstrated good internal consistency (&prop, = 0.78), acceptable convergent and divergent validity, and good concurrent validity with the smoker self-concept scale. Conclusion: The current study provides fundamental evidence for the PSmoQi as a valid instrument in research related to smoking cessation and interventional strategy. The PSmoQi contained validated domains which could measure almost a full spectrum of smoking cessation components.

Objectives Secondhand smoke (SHS) has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the aims of the paper are to assess SHS exposure among non-smoking adults in Malaysia attending various smoking-restricted and non-restricted public areas according to the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations (CTPR) as well as its relationship with various sociodemographic variables. Design Data were extracted from a cross-sectional study, the Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2011 which involved 3269 non-smokers in Malaysia. Data was obtained through face-to-face interviews using a validated pre-tested questionnaire. Factors associated with exposure to SHS were identified via multivariable analysis. Results The study revealed that almost two-thirds of respondents were exposed to SHS in at least one public area in the past 1 month, with a significantly higher exposure among males (70.6%), those with higher educational attainment (81.4%) and higher income (quintile 1%–73.9%). Besides, the exposure to SHS was almost four times higher in non-restricted areas compared with restricted areas under the CTPR (81.9% vs 22.9). Multivariable analysis revealed that males and younger adults at non-restricted areas were more likely to be exposed to SHS while no significant associated factors of SHS exposure was observed in restricted areas. Conclusions The study revealed the prevalence of SHS exposure was higher among Malaysian adults. Although smoke-free laws offer protection to non-smokers from exposure to SHS, enforcement activities in restricted areas should be enhanced to ensure strict public abidance. In addition, legislation of restricted areas should also be extended to greatly reduce the SHS exposure among non-smokers in Malaysia.

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and NCD risk factors in Malaysia have risen substantially in the last two decades. The Malaysian Ministry of Health responded by implementing, “The National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases (NSP-NCD) 2010-2014”, and the “NCD Prevention 1Malaysia” (NCDP-1M) programme. This paper outlines the primary health system context in which the NCDP-1M is framed. We also discuss the role of community in facilitating the integration of this programme, and outline some of the key challenges in addressing the sustainability of the plan over the next few years. The paper thus provides an analysis of an integration of a programme that involved a multi-sectoral approach with the view to contributing to a broader discourse on the development of responsive health systems.