Nicotine level in cigarettes may be reduced

The Health Ministry is considering reducing the nicotine content in cigarettes to curb the smoking addiction.

Its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said he had ordered the ministry’s director-general to conduct a study into the implementation of the step.

It would be yet another move in a long line of government efforts to break the addiction to cigarettes.

“Currently, the nicotine content in one cigarette stick is 20mg. We hope that by reducing the amount, we can help smokers care for their health and control their addiction,” he said after joining the Felda Lurah Bilut settlers in a “10,000 steps a day programme” here yesterday.
Liow said there was no fixed reduction target yet as the plan was still in discussion but he hoped that it could be reduced by 10mg.

He added that the smoking cessation programme introduced in health clinics had been successful.

“The programme’s success rate has increased from 60% to 80%. Next, we want to move this programme to the community level,” he said.

However, he added that smokers themselves needed to be aware that they could only break the habit using their own willpower.