In August 2024, Quit Like Sweden brought together leading public health experts in Kuala Lumpur who said Malaysia could save hundreds of thousands lives if it embraces innovative and proven harm reduction measures to move the country's 5 million smokers away from cigarettes.
In Kuala Lumpur, the event brought together harm reduction and public health experts, such as Dr Anders Milton and Dr Fredrik Nystrom from Sweden, Professor Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh from Malaysia, and Professor Marewa Glover from New Zealand.
In attendance was also Malaysian member of parliament, YB Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, and vaping advocates Samsul Arifin from the Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entity, Benedict Weerasena from Bait Al-Amanah, and Federico Fernandez from We Are Innovation.
The message from the Quit Like Sweden event in Kuala Lumpur was clear: Malaysia has the opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of lives. The evidence from Sweden is compelling, and the need for action is urgent. To achieve this, Malaysia must adopt policies that make alternatives to smoking both accessible, acceptable, and affordable to people who smoke. This includes educating the public about their potential.
"By doing so, Malaysia can successfully learn from the Swedish experience, tailoring the Swedish approach to its own needs and significantly reduce the health burden associated with smoking," she said.
In Sweden, while one in four adults in use nicotine daily—a rate comparable to the rest of Europe—the country experiences significantly better health outcomes.
Ms Castro said: "Sweden's success in reducing smoking rates is unparalleled. In Sweden, the cancer incidence is 41% lower than the European average, and smoking-related deaths are less than half of those in 24 of the other 26 EU countries. This stark contrast underscores the effectiveness of Sweden's strategies in mitigating the health impacts associated with nicotine use."
"We have the ability to save hundreds of thousands of lives in Malaysia, and millions more around the world, just by replicating a model that has already worked so well for Sweden," Ms Castro said. "And there's no better time to start that conversation than now."
Event Highlights
Speakers
Suely Castro
Director, Quit Like Sweden
A long standing harm-reduction advocate who has spent nearly two decades assessing global Tobacco Control efforts, and promoting accessible, acceptable, and affordable alternative nicotine products, inspired by the Swedish experience.
Prof. Marewa Glover
Founding Director, CREISS
Public-health professor and 32-year tobacco-control researcher; 2019 New Zealander of the Year finalist; founding director, Centre of Research Excellence - Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking; former Tobacco Section Editor, Harm Reduction Journal.
Dr. Fredrik H. Nystrom
Professor of Internal Medicine, Linköping University
Professor of Internal Medicine; Head of Internal, Endocrinology & Pulmonary Medicine, Linköping University (tenured 2002); leads trials on metabolic disease and nicotine/snus; frequent media voice and author.
Federico N. Fernández
CEO, We Are Innovation
CEO of We Are Innovation, a global network of 45+ think tanks and NGOs, championing innovative solutions worldwide. An economist, author, and frequent lecturer, his expertise has been recognized by The Economist and Newsweek.
Dr. Anders Milton
Physician, Former Chairman, World Medical Association
Physician, CEO of Milton Consulting, and former Chairman of the World Medical Association. A highly sought-after healthcare consultant, he is the current Chair of the Snus Commission and the board chairman for multiple foundations and life science companies.
Benedict Weerasena
Research Director, Bait Al Amanah
Research Director at Bait Al Amanah (House of Trust) and a Fellow at the Center for Market Education. His research interests include public finance, health policy, and harm reduction, having co-authored several key publications and a White Paper on THR in Malaysia.
Prof. Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh
Professor of Hospital Management and Health Economics
Professor of Hospital Management and Health Economics. Her interests include health policy and health inequality. She is a consultant for the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Human Resource, and is an ardent advocate and regional expert on harm reduction in Malaysia and the Asia Pacific.
Samsul Arifin
President, Malaysian Organization of Vape Entity (MOVE)
President of the Malaysian Organization of Vape Entity (MOVE), a non-profit consumer group. A graduate of the University of London, he has been a dedicated advocate at the forefront of efforts to regulate the vape industry in Malaysia since 2015, engaging with government ministries and policymakers.
YB Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan
Member of Parliament for Tasek Gelugor
Member of Parliament for Tasek Gelugor and a Supreme Council Member of BERSATU. He was the founding Chief Executive of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) from 2010 to 2018, and previously served as Information Chief for BERSATU.