On this World Lung Cancer Day, the Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM) is calling on all esteemed parliamentarians (MPs) across all political divisions to unanimously support the Ministry of Health’s proposal to ban tobacco for people born after January 1, 2007.

As elected representatives responsible for the rakyat, we urge MPs to show courageous political will and a true sense of statehood to help implement the Tobacco Bill to create a legacy truly impactful and lasting healthcare for our nation.

Cancer is a major non-communicable disease and health burden in Malaysia. Tobacco use here accounts for nearly one in four cancers and is a major drain on Treasury finances in addition to lost productivity.

The king of all diseases, lung cancer is one of the leading cancers in terms of incidence and mortality.

Smoking remains the most common risk factor and passive smoking is a big culprit for the increase in lung cancer cases among non-smokers.

The projected annual loss of RM3-5 billion due to tobacco taxation is dwarfed by health expenditures related to tobacco-caused diseases estimated at RM7-8 billion each year.

The treatment costs for smoking-induced lung cancer alone exceed RM130 million per year. The fallacious argument put forward by Big Tobacco about reduced government revenue due to tax cuts is a false economy.

In real terms, the proposed tobacco ban will be phased in over many years and will only affect future generations. Current adult smokers are unaffected, so the economic impact on the tobacco industry will be negligible for the foreseeable future.

Similarly, the rationale for withdrawing support for the Tobacco Bill on the grounds that it will exacerbate illicit trade on the black market is flawed. The scourge of the illegal tobacco trade here (estimated as one of the highest in the world) can and must be tackled simultaneously.

Suspected rampant smuggling, distribution and sale of counterfeit cigarettes here can be reduced through diligent monitoring and vigilant border control.

The fear of opening Pandora’s box with this generational tobacco ban that seems to infringe on individual freedoms is unfounded. The overwhelming majority of smokers want to quit but find it difficult to do so, enslaved by a vicious, toxic and highly addictive habit of young people.

Less-educated young men from lower socio-economic backgrounds are often the victims. The use of tobacco is different from the consumption of sugary foods or alcoholic beverages, so such comparisons are not relevant. Also, there is no safe level of smoking and it harms both the environment and the innocent people nearby.

The LCNM urges all MPs to seize the moment and secure their place in history by courageously supporting this proposed generational phased tobacco ban. The government must then ensure strict but fair, consistent and sustained application of the law.

As dedicated clinicians, we can only touch and save one life at a time. However, as respected legislators, MPs have this opportune moment to implement once-in-a-lifetime preventative legislation that will benefit future generations of Malaysians.

It’s time to act.

• This is the personal opinion of the author or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of code blue.