Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 43 in total

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  1. Assunta M, Chapman S
    Tob Control, 2004 Dec;13 Suppl 2:ii51-7.
    PMID: 15564221
    To review how tobacco transnational companies conducted their business in the hostile environment of Singapore, attempting to counter some of the government's tobacco control measures; to compare the Malaysian and the Singaporean governments' stance on tobacco control and the direct bearing of this on the way the tobacco companies conduct their business.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  2. Barraclough S, Morrow M
    Soc Sci Med, 2008 Apr;66(8):1784-96.
    PMID: 18304713 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.01.001
    In the wake of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is among the few remaining mechanisms for tobacco corporations publicly to promote their interests. Health advocates may be unaware of the scale, nature and implications of tobacco industry CSR. This investigation aimed to construct a typology of tobacco industry CSR through a case study of the evolution and impact of CSR activities of a particular tobacco corporation in one country - British American Tobacco, Malaysia (BATM), the Malaysian market leader. Methods included searching, compiling and critically appraising publicly available materials from British American Tobacco, BATM, published literature and other sources. The study examined BATM's CSR strategy, the issues which it raises, consequences for tobacco control and potential responses by health advocates. The investigation found that BATM's CSR activities included assistance to tobacco growers, charitable donations, scholarships, involvement in anti-smuggling measures, 'youth smoking prevention' programs and annual Social Reports. BATM has stated that its model is predominantly motivated by social and stakeholder obligations. Its CSR activities have, however, had the additional benefits of contributing to a favourable image, deflecting criticism and establishing a modus vivendi with regulators that assists BATM's continued operations and profitability. It is imperative that health advocates highlight the potential conflicts inherent in such arrangements and develop strategies to address the concerns raised.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  3. Assunta M, Chapman S
    Tob Control, 2004 Dec;13 Suppl 2:ii43-50.
    PMID: 15564220 DOI: 10.1136/tc.2004.008094
    OBJECTIVE: To describe tobacco industry efforts in Malaysia to thwart government efforts to regulate tobacco promotion and health warnings.
    METHODS: Systematic keyword and opportunistic website searches of formerly private tobacco industry internal documents made available through the Master Settlement Agreement and secondary websites; relevant information from news articles and financial reports.
    RESULTS: Commencing in the 1970s, the industry began to systematically thwart government tobacco control. Guidelines were successfully promoted in the place of legislation for over two decades. Even when the government succeeded in implementing regulations such as health warnings and advertising bans they were compromised and acted effectively to retard further progress for years to come.
    CONCLUSION: Counter-measures to delay or thwart government efforts to regulate tobacco were initiated by the industry. Though not unique to Malaysia, the main difference lies in the degree to which strategies were used to successfully counter stringent tobacco control measures between 1970 and 1995.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  4. Rampal L
    Med J Malaysia, 1983 Sep;38(3):203-5.
    PMID: 6672563
    Anti-smoking measures, adopted by local authorities before the guideline on the ban of cigarette advertisement and anti-smoking campaign launched by the Government, are limited in scope and area. The activity is limited mainly to a ban on cigarette advertisements in theatres. Legislative measures are instituted only in the City Council, Municipal Councils and 2 ofthe 20 district councils surveyed. There is an awareness among several local authorities on the need for an increase in anti-smoking activities but action. is lacking. A population of 7.4 million. people lioe in areas controlled by the local authorities. The local authorities are expected to play a more active role along with other Government departments following a directive in August 1982 from the Chief Secretary to the Government.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  5. Yong HH, Hamann SL, Borland R, Fong GT, Omar M, ITC-SEA project team
    Soc Sci Med, 2009 Oct;69(7):1025-31.
    PMID: 19695758 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.07.042
    In recent years, attempts have been made to incorporate religion into tobacco control efforts, especially in countries like Malaysia and Thailand where religion is central to the lives of people. This paper is a prospective examination of the perceived relevance and role of religion and religious authorities in influencing smoking behaviour among Muslims in Malaysia and Buddhists in Thailand. Data were collected from 1482 Muslim Malaysian and 1971 Buddhist Thai adult smokers who completed wave 1 (early 2005) of the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Survey (ITC-SEA). Respondents were asked about the role of religion and religious leadership on smoking at Wave 1 and among those recontacted, quitting activity at Wave 2. Results revealed that over 90% of both religious groups reported that their religion guides their day-to-day behaviour at least sometimes, but Malaysian Muslims were more likely to report that this was always the case. The majority (79% Muslims and 88% Buddhists) of both groups believed that their religion discourages smoking. About 61% of the Muslims and 58% of the Buddhists reported that their religious leaders had encouraged them to quit before and a minority (30% and 26%, respectively) said they would be an influential source to motivate them to quit. Logistic regression models suggest that these religious factors had a clear independent association with making quitting attempts in both countries and this translated to success for Malaysian Muslims but not for the Thai Buddhists. Taken together, results from this study indicate that religion and religious authorities are both relevant and important drivers of quitting, but whether this is always enough to guarantee success is less clear. Religion can be a culturally relevant vehicle to complement other tobacco control efforts.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  6. De Silva WD, Sinha DN, Kahandawaliyanag A
    Indian J Cancer, 2012 Oct-Dec;49(4):438-42.
    PMID: 23442410 DOI: 10.4103/0019-509X.107753
    Sri Lanka became a signatory to the WHO Frame Work Convention on Tobacco Control in September 2003, and this was ratified in November 2003. With a view to reduce the use of tobacco in Sri Lanka, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act (NATA) No. 27 of 2006 was implemented.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  7. Tee GH, Hairi NN, Hairi F
    Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 2012 Aug;16(8):1126-8.
    PMID: 22668450 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.11.0254
    Physicians should play a leading role in combatting smoking; information on attitudes of future physicians towards tobacco control measures in a middle-income developing country is limited. Of 310 future physicians surveyed in a medical school in Malaysia, 50% disagreed that it was a doctor's duty to advise smokers to stop smoking; 76.8% agreed that physicians should not smoke before advising others not to smoke; and 75% agreed to the ideas of restricting the sale of cigarettes to minors, making all public places smoke-free and banning advertising of tobacco-related merchandise. Future physicians had positive attitudes towards tobacco regulations but had not grasped their responsibilities in tobacco control measures.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  8. Assunta M
    Tob Control, 2002 Sep;11(3):277-8.
    PMID: 12198283
    In Malaysia, British American Tobacco flouted the World Cup of football's no-tobacco ruling
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  9. Jackson AA, Manan WA, Gani AS, Eldridge S, Carter YH
    PMID: 15689099
    Smoking deception is often ignored, but is important in health care. In this trial it was assessed at both study entry and outcome. At study entry, 1,044 males at a primary care clinic were asked smoking status and tested for breath carbon monoxide (CO). Of self-reported non-smokers, 57/402 (14%) were actually smokers, as were 59/251 (24%) of self-reported ex-smokers. The self-reported smokers (n=387) entered a randomized, controlled trial where the intervention comprised four questions on knowledge and beliefs about smoking, standardized verbal advice against smoking, and a leaflet. At follow-up, subjects were also questioned about beliefs. Follow-up was difficult, but 191/387 (49%) attended at three or six months. Of 27 who claimed to have quit, 6 (22%) were deceivers and 21 were confirmed quitters. Cessation did not differ between intervention and control groups. Overall confirmed cessation at six months was 16/387 (4.1 %). Confirmed quitters were significantly lighter smokers than deceivers and still smokers. There were non-significant trends between the outcome groups whereby deceivers had least knowledge and most lay beliefs, and quitters had most knowledge and fewest lay beliefs. The lay beliefs may prevent some smokers from quitting.

    Study site: open-access outpatients
    clinic (KPM) attached to the teaching hospital
    (HUSM) of Universiti Sains Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  10. Simpson D
    Tob Control, 1997;6(3):171-2.
    PMID: 9396099
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  11. Borland R, Li L, Driezen P, Wilson N, Hammond D, Thompson ME, et al.
    Addiction, 2012 Jan;107(1):197-205.
    PMID: 21883605 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03636.x
    To describe some of the variability across the world in levels of quit smoking attempts and use of various forms of cessation support.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  12. Ross H, Driezen P, Sirirassamee B, Kin F
    Glob Public Health, 2009;4(6):588-99.
    PMID: 19548160 DOI: 10.1080/17441690903072204
    A wide range of cigarette prices can undermine the impact of tobacco tax policy when smokers switch to cheaper cigarettes instead of quitting. In order to better understand this behaviour, we study socio-economic determinants of price/brand choices in two different markets: a semi-monopolistic market in Thailand and a competitive market in Malaysia. The hypothesis that the factors affecting the price/brand choice are different in these two markets is analysed by employing a 2005 survey among smokers. This survey provides a unique perspective on market characteristics usually described only in business reports by the tobacco industry. We found that smokers in Thailand have fewer opportunities to trade down to save money on cigarettes, but pay lower prices than smokers in Malaysia, despite Thailand's higher tax rate. The Malaysian market, on the other hand, offers many possibilities to shop around for cheaper cigarettes. Higher income and education increase the price paid per cigarette in both countries, but the impact of these factors is larger in Malaysia. This has implications for sensitivity to cigarette prices. Using tax policy alone should be a more effective tobacco control measure in Thailand as compared to Malaysia. The effectiveness of a tax increase in Malaysia can be improved by adding programmes focusing on smoking cessation among low-income/low-educated smokers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  13. Guindon GE, Driezen P, Chaloupka FJ, Fong GT
    Tob Control, 2014 Mar;23 Suppl 1:i13-22.
    PMID: 24227541 DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051074
    Decades of research have produced overwhelming evidence that tobacco taxes reduce tobacco use and increase government tax revenue. The magnitude and effectiveness of taxes in reducing tobacco use provide an incentive for tobacco users, manufacturers and others, most notably criminal networks, to devise ways to avoid or evade tobacco taxes. Consequently, tobacco tax avoidance and tax evasion can reduce the public health and fiscal benefit of tobacco taxes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  14. Krishnan R, Kueh ST, Lin YM, Samsuri MF, Seng OC, Mahadavan M, et al.
    World Health Forum, 1990;11(3):310-1.
    PMID: 2291796
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  15. Abu Hassan H, Abd Aziz N, Hassan Y, Hassan F
    PMID: 24868154 DOI: 10.2147/COPD.S56637
    BACKGROUND: Lack of awareness among ex-smokers on the benefits of sustaining smoking cessation may be the main cause of their smoking relapse. This study explored health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and hospital admission amongst chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients according to the duration of smoking cessation.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study recruited COPD patients from a chest clinic who agreed to participate in a medication therapy-adherence program from January to June 2013. They were interviewed during their visits to obtain information regarding their smoking history and HRQoL. They were divided into three groups according to smoking status (sustained quitters, quit ≥5 years; quitters, quit <5 years; and smokers, smoking at least one cigarette/day). The effects of the duration of cessation on HRQoL and hospital admission were analyzed using a multinomial logistic model.
    RESULTS: A total of 117 participants with moderate COPD met the inclusion criteria, who were comprised of 41 sustained quitters, 40 quitters, and 36 smokers. Several features were similar across the groups. Most of them were married elderly men (aged >64 years) with low-to-middle level of education, who smoked more than 33 cigarettes per day and had high levels of adherence to the medication regimen. The results showed that sustained quitters were less likely to have respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm and dyspnea) than smokers (odds ratio 0.02, confidence interval 0-0.12; P<0.001). The hospital admission rate per year was increased in quitters compared to smokers (odds ratio 4.5, confidence interval 1.91-10.59; P<0.005).
    CONCLUSION: A longer duration of quitting smoking will increase the benefits to COPD patients, even if they experience increased episodic respiratory symptoms in the early period of the cessation. Thus, the findings of this study show the benefits of early smoking cessation.
    KEYWORDS: HRQoL; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); hospital admission and hospital stay
    Study site: Chest Clinic, Hospital Melaka, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control*
  16. Nordin AS, Kadir RA, Yahya NA, Zakaria H, Rashid RA, Habil MH
    Int Dent J, 2014 Aug;64(4):206-12.
    PMID: 24835463 DOI: 10.1111/idj.12110
    As a signatory to the World Health Organisation 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Malaysia has policies in place and funded 300 public Quit clinics. Unfortunately, government dentists are not included to run tobacco dependence treatment. A cross-sectional exploratory survey was carried out to seek Malaysian dentists' opinion on their knowledge, perception and willingness to conduct tobacco dependence treatment. Participation was voluntary from those who attended a specially designed one-day, four-module workshop on tobacco cessation intervention. Data were collected using the Audience-Response-System equipment which tracked immediate responses covering four domains namely: smoking as a public health problem, smoking as an addiction, the role of dentists in the programme and confidence in conducting smoking cessation in the clinic. Sample comprised more female dentists (73.5%), mean age 33.6 (SD 8.99) years and with more than 3 years working experience. Findings indicated that the majority agreed Malaysia has a rising problem in the prevalence of smoking (71.6%) and predicted that it will affect mostly the young (81.9%). Only half of the dentists surveyed (58.9%) routinely recorded their patients' smoking habits. The majority (71.6%) believed that dentists are effective in helping their patient to stop smoking and 76.3% agreed that dentists should discuss the smoking habit with their patients; however, 60% agreed that doing so is too time consuming. In addition, only 24.7% knew of more ways to treat a smoking habit. The majority felt comfortable giving advice to patients about changing their habits (76.5%) or discussing treatment options (60.5%): 75% would opt for a combined programme of counselling and use of medication if they have to do, 15% would choose to go on counselling only, while 8% did not want to treat. In conclusion, the findings suggest that dentists have a strong potential to contribute significantly to providing smoking cessation treatment if adequately trained.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  17. Shamsuddin K, Haris MA
    Singapore Med J, 2000 Apr;41(4):167-71.
    PMID: 11063181
    Objectives: To measure the prevalence of cigarette smoking among male secondary school children and assess their family influence especially that of their fathers' smoking habits on their current smoking habits.
    Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Kota Bharu, Kelantan in April 1997 where 460 male form four students, aged 15-16 years were randomly selected from six secondary schools. Data on smoking habits, sociodemographic profile and family characteristics particularly parents and siblings' smoking habits, perceived parental supervision and communication were collected through self-administered questionnaires.
    Results: The prevalence of cigarette smoking among male secondary school children was 33.2%. Crude analysis shows family factors, fathers' and siblings' smoking habits, and lack of parental supervision were significantly associated with the students' current smoking habit. Among students who smoked compared to non-smokers, father's smoking habit gives a crude Odds Ratio = 1.8, 95% C.I. 1.08 - 3.16. Further analysis shows that the effect of their father's smoking habit on the student's current smoking habit is still significant after controlling for other familial and non-familial factors including parental supervision, academic performance, reported influence of cigarette advertisement, having friends who smoked and the student's poor knowledge of the ill-effects of smoking and other factors (Odds Ratio = 1.9, 95% C.I 1.05 - 3.32). In conclusion, family factors especially the father's smoking habit is an important factor that influences a student's current smoking habit and the presence of negative role models within the home need to be seriously considered in any cigarette smoking prevention programs among secondary school adolescents.
    Keywords: smoking, male students, adolescents, family influence, father’s smoking habit
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  18. Tan YL, Foong K
    Tob Control, 2012 Jan;21(1):55-6.
    PMID: 21803928 DOI: 10.1136/tc.2011.042713
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  19. Li L, Borland R, Yong HH, Sirirassamee B, Hamann S, Omar M, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2015 Aug;12(8):9508-22.
    PMID: 26287219 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120809508
    In September 2005 Thailand became the first Asian country to implement a complete ban on the display of cigarettes and other tobacco products at point-of-sale (POS). This paper examined the impact of the POS tobacco display ban in Thailand, with Malaysia (which did not impose bans) serving as a comparison. The data came from the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Survey (2005-2011), a prospective cohort survey designed to evaluate the psychosocial and behavioral impacts of tobacco control policies. Main measures included smokers' reported awareness of tobacco displays and advertising at POS. At the first post-ban survey wave over 90% of smokers in Thailand were aware of the display ban policy and supported it, and about three quarters thought the ban was effective. Noticing tobacco displays in stores was lowest (16.9%) at the first post-ban survey wave, but increased at later survey waves; however, the levels were consistently lower than those in Malaysia. Similarly, exposure to POS tobacco advertising was lower in Thailand. The display ban has reduced exposure to tobacco marketing at POS. The trend toward increased noticing is likely at least in part due to some increase in violations of the display bans and/or strategies to circumvent them.
    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
  20. Mons U, Müezzinler A, Gellert C, Schöttker B, Abnet CC, Bobak M, et al.
    BMJ, 2015 Apr 20;350:h1551.
    PMID: 25896935 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h1551
    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of smoking and smoking cessation on cardiovascular mortality, acute coronary events, and stroke events in people aged 60 and older, and to calculate and report risk advancement periods for cardiovascular mortality in addition to traditional epidemiological relative risk measures.

    DESIGN: Individual participant meta-analysis using data from 25 cohorts participating in the CHANCES consortium. Data were harmonised, analysed separately employing Cox proportional hazard regression models, and combined by meta-analysis.

    RESULTS: Overall, 503,905 participants aged 60 and older were included in this study, of whom 37,952 died from cardiovascular disease. Random effects meta-analysis of the association of smoking status with cardiovascular mortality yielded a summary hazard ratio of 2.07 (95% CI 1.82 to 2.36) for current smokers and 1.37 (1.25 to 1.49) for former smokers compared with never smokers. Corresponding summary estimates for risk advancement periods were 5.50 years (4.25 to 6.75) for current smokers and 2.16 years (1.38 to 2.39) for former smokers. The excess risk in smokers increased with cigarette consumption in a dose-response manner, and decreased continuously with time since smoking cessation in former smokers. Relative risk estimates for acute coronary events and for stroke events were somewhat lower than for cardiovascular mortality, but patterns were similar.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our study corroborates and expands evidence from previous studies in showing that smoking is a strong independent risk factor of cardiovascular events and mortality even at older age, advancing cardiovascular mortality by more than five years, and demonstrating that smoking cessation in these age groups is still beneficial in reducing the excess risk.

    Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/prevention & control
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