Tobacco display ban meaningless without proper enforcement
Weak enforcement and an overreliance on overworked health inspectors could undermine the health ministry’s plan to ban the display of tobacco products from Oct 1, consumer and health groups warn.
Azrul Mohd Khalib, chief executive officer of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, said enforcement remains the main challenge as many retailers, including large convenience store chains, were still unprepared despite being given a six-month grace period.
“Visits to major retailers and convenience stores show an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of what the retail display ban entails.
“Many have built enclosed cabinets behind their counters to store cigarettes and vape products, but still keep them freely available outside those cabinets along with related advertising,” he told FMT.
Under the…
