Public Support for Tobacco Control Laws in Malaysia: An Online Survey among Adult Malaysians

Studies on public support for tobacco control laws inform implementation strategies. We assessed public support for the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852).

An online survey was conducted among 1000 adult Malaysians using the Global Adult Tobacco Survey questionnaire. Support for laws under Act 852; smoke-free environments, advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; tobacco packaging and labeling, sales restrictions, etc., cover conventional cigarettes and nicotine products, was measured on a five-point Likert scale. Support was compared between individuals who smoke tobacco and use nicotine products and those who do not use these products.

The mean age was 38.7 years (SD = 11.5), 60% were Malays, 49.4% were private employees, and 48.5% were educated to a bachelor's/higher degree. The respondents showed a high (>80%) level of public support for all laws. The highest support was for a ban on sales to minors (91.6%), a smoking ban in various public spaces (91.5%), and prohibiting sales via vending machines and places closer to higher education institutes (90.9%). Support was significantly higher among those who do not smoke and use nicotine products. Higher age and education, higher knowledge of the harms of smoking, and smoke-free policy at home were associated with higher support; current tobacco/nicotine product use and exposure to tobacco advertisements were associated with lower support.

A strong public support for Act 852 that covers both tobacco and nicotine products augurs well for their strict implementation to achieve Malaysia's tobacco endgame of reducing smoking prevalence to <5% by 2040.

Malaysia revised the proposed Generational End Game and enacted it in October 2024, the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852). Act 852 also regulates nicotine products. Public support displays the denormalization of tobacco smoking in Malaysia and endorses the new Tobacco Control Act. Public support for Act 852 should be consolidated through effective communication strategies and advocacy, and strict enforcement to reduce tobacco smoking and nicotine product use behaviors. A strict enforcement of Act 852 with a high level of public support augurs well for achieving an endgame target of <5% tobacco smoking prevalence in Malaysia by 2040.