The tobacco exposition in Kuala Lumpur, Tabexpo, a platform for industry players to gather and strategise on how to penetrate the Asian market, has now been renamed Tabinfo. Call it what you want, Tabexpo or Tabinfo, its objective is still about marketing tobacco products to get the Asian population addicted to nicotine.

The cosmetic exercise happened after the international community of tobacco control advocates voiced objection to the holding of Tabexpo in Kuala Lumpur in mid-November. The changing of the expo's name is merely a re-packaging of the same intent.

Malaysia should not have allowed this expo because nicotine is a drug too. Why is the government so strict on drug trafficking but on the other hand, opening its doors wide to allow promoters of nicotine addiction to come to Malaysia and plan how to addict our people as well as our Asian neighbours?

I don't see why nicotine should be given 'preferential treatment' over heroin or cocaine because they are all highly toxic and addictive. The fact that nicotine is highly addictive is well-known to our politicians as many of them are smokers themselves.

Ask them to quit and see if they would experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms. If they can't quit, then they should voice their opposition against allowing the tobacco industry an opportunity to strategise to entice new smokers.

Potential smokers comprise the younger generation and we have an obligation to protect their interests. I know how horrible nicotine withdrawal symptoms can be because my mother went through three months of hell trying to quit smoking.

She succeeded but how many smokers do? With strong resolution and proper intervention, probably only two or three out of 10 will succeed. It's better if we can prevent people from taking up the habit in the first place.