The Malaysian cabinet has approved the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, The Star reported.

"I will bring the bill to Parliament at this session," Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told reporters when he released the new drug perception study on July 14.

Among other things, the bill calls for a ban on the sale of cigarettes, tobacco and vaping products to people born after 2005.

The proposed law is modelled on New Zealand's legislation, which unveiled in December 2021 a plan to gradually increase the smoking age to cover the entire population to phase out smoking.

Currently, about 40.5% of men and 20% of women in Malaysia smoke.