The best way to discourage Malaysians from lighting up is to put cigarettes beyond their reach - that is, fix the price of the fags so high that the majority of smokers would not be able to afford it.

This is the suggestion from a former smoker whom malaysiakini spoke to today as part of a survey on the ban of the sale of small packets of cigarettes which came into effect on June 1.

Benedict Sung 43, a businessman who admitted to being hooked on cigarettes for about 20 years finally gave up smoking after he was diagnosed with heart disease.

He said that the two weeks he spent in hospital helped him to quit, otherwise "it would be very difficult to do so".

Sung doubted that getting rid of the 'kiddies packs' would help Malaysians kick the habit or discouraged new smokers. At best, it would help lessen the number of cigarettes one would smoke.

Still reasonably cheap

The businessman felt that even with the recent increase in the price of cigarettes after last year's budget, the RM7 for a packet of branded cigarettes was still 'reasonably cheap' and most smokers could afford it.

"But try increasing it to RM50 per packet (like in the UK where a packet costs 8 pounds) and smokers will feel the pinch," he said.

Adults will then likely feel that smoking is too expensive a habit to sustain and not many teenagers have that kind of money for cigarettes.

That is one of the best ways to stop Malaysians from smoking, said Sung.

Asked if this will encourage the smuggling of tobacco products as more smokers will then turn to cheaper, smuggled cigarettes, Sung replied that even today, smuggling of cigarettes is already rampant. "It's the lack of will on the part of the authority concerned to contain smuggling," he said.

Beginning June 1, the 10-stick and 14-stick cigarette packs have been removed from the market as part of a government campaign to discourage Malaysians from smoking. Previously, the government had spent nearly RM26.5 million on the 'Tak Nak' campaign which was deemed a failure.

About 3.6 million of Malaysia's 25 million people are smokers, and nearly half of adult men light up regularly, according to Health Ministry statistics. About 10,000 people die every year from smoking-related ailments. Moreover, the increasing number of teens and girls lighting up is an indication that more Malaysians are picking up this notorious habit.

Of course, Sung added, the best way out of all this is to ban the sale of cigarettes in the country but this is unlikely to happen anyway.

Students pool money

Meanwhile Steven, 32, a bank officer felt that banning small packets will encourage people to smoke more. Before, they were able to buy smaller packets, so they smoked less.

"I am hopeful this action will discourage smoking among the people but I also worry for the young smokers who will feel the pressure of finding the money to sustain their habit," he added.

Toh Chwee Leng, 48, a shopkeeper believed that the ban is not likely to be effective because smokers will still continue to buy cigarettes despite the increase after every budget.

" Macam mana pun mereka akan beli, tak kira u buat apa pun ," ( they will buy no matter what you do ) he chuckled.

However, journalist James Wong, a smoker himself, felt that banning the small packets will help to stop teenagers and school children from buying cigarettes.

"It will help because most schoolchildren do not have RM7 to buy a packet of cigarettes," he said.

But some secondary school students malaysiakini spoke to already have a game plan, They revealed that they are pooling their money to buy a big cigarette packet and share the sticks.

Really, it's going to be a long warfare against smoking among Malaysians!