SMOKING FACTS
Smoking is a major risk to complications of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease. The World Health Organization has estimated that more than 20,000 adult men in Malaysia die each year from complications of smoking.
As a result of the effects of complications and high mortality, smoking has affected the national economy in various aspects including the high-cost burden of treating diseases due to smoking, affecting productivity due to often unhealthy workers and causing losses to the country due to premature death.
According to the National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) in 2019, the prevalence of smokers in Malaysia aged 15 years and above is 21.3%, which is 4.8 million people. The total prevalence of adult male smokers is 40.5% while the prevalence of female smokers is 1.2%.
As a result of the effects of complications and high mortality, smoking has affected the national economy in various aspects including the high-cost burden of treating diseases due to smoking, affecting productivity due to often unhealthy workers and causing losses to the country due to premature death.
According to the National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) in 2019, the prevalence of smokers in Malaysia aged 15 years and above is 21.3%, which is 4.8 million people. The total prevalence of adult male smokers is 40.5% while the prevalence of female smokers is 1.2%.
NHMS (National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019)
- 21.3% of Malaysians smoke.
- 40 out of 100 men smoke, 1 in 100 women smoke.
- User age (highest%) - 30-34 years (27%)
- 58% of smokers are from the B40 group
- 5% (1 million) Malaysians are electronic cigarette/ vape users
- 40 out of 100 men are vape users, 2 out of 100 women use vape
- User age (highest%) - 20-24 years (15%)
- 56% of vape users are from the B40 group. On average, smokers smoke 13 sticks per day. Exposure to passive cigarette smoke: Home (31%), Workplace (27%), air-conditioned dining area (9%), non-air-conditioned dining area (48.1%)
- 49% of smokers have ever tried to quit smoking
TECMA (Tobacco & E-Cigarette Survey Among Malaysia Adolescent) 2016
- 14% of school students aged 10-19 years smoke
- 24 out of 100 male students smoke, 4 out of 100 female students smoke
- 9% of high school students use vape/ electronic cigarettes
- 16 out of 100 male students use electronic cigarettes/ vape, 3 out of 100 female students use electronic cigarettes/ vape
- 19% of school students have used/ tried to use electronic cigarettes/ vape
- 47% of school students who use electronic cigarettes try the product before the age of 14
- 5% of school students are dual users (conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes/ vape)
- 38% of users among these students knew that nicotine was found in electronic cigarette liquids
- 12% of high school students use electronic cigarettes/ vapes
- 11% of students aged 13-15 years use electronic cigarettes/ vape
- The highest users are among students aged 16-19 years (13%)
- 46% of electronic cigarette users start by smoking conventional cigarettes
- 43% of consumers obtain electronic cigarettes through friends
Smoking increases the risk, up to 10 times of getting 40 serious diseases such as lung cancer, heart diseases and stroke. Smoking can affect almost every organ and tissue of your body.