KULAI: While Malaysia has made progress in reducing adult smoking rates, the rise in vaping is an alarming trend, says Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni. He cited findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) showing that the adult smoking rate dropped from 22.4% in 2019 to 19.8% in 2023. “However, vape use increased from 4.9% to 5.1% over the same period. Even more concerning is the growing number of children, or underage persons, taking up electronic smoking products. “This is not just a health issue but a social one,” he said in his speech during the state-level World No Tobacco Day and World Tuberculosis Day held on Saturday (July 12). Lukanisman urged p... [Read more]