KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has observed a dramatic shift in teen smoking behaviour, with an increase in e-cigarette use and vaping among adolescents, while cigarette smoking decreased.
This was part of the key findings in the Institute for Public Health's National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) Adolescent Health Survey 2022, which involved secondary school students aged 13 to 17 years.
On e-cigarette use and vaping, the survey found a significant increase, with national prevalence rising from 9.8 per cent in 2017 to 14.9 per cent in 2022.
In contrast, cigarette use decreased substantially among adolescents, with national prevalence dropping from 13.8 per cent in 2017 to 6.2 per cent in 2022.
Male adolescent e-cigarette or vape users make up 23.3 per cent of those surveyed and female adolescents 6.2 per cent.
Similarly, male adolescent cigarette smokers made up 10.8 per cent of those surveyed and female adolescents 1.7 per cent.
Adolescents primarily obtained tobacco products from shops (35.7 per cent), vape shops (34.6 per cent) and friends (34.8 per cent).
The survey found that one in five adolescents in Malaysia have a history of alcohol consumption, or were "ever drinkers".
The Health Ministry found that 65 per cent of these adolescents had their first alcoholic drink before age 14. A total of 25 per cent of adolescent drinkers surveyed admitted to having gotten drunk before.
The survey also highlighted the current drinking habits of Malaysian adolescents, with seven per cent identified as current drinkers who consumed alcohol within the past 30 days.
Family (55 per cent), stores (19 per cent) and friends (13 per cent) were reported as the main sources of alcohol for these adolescents.
Notably, 73 per cent of current drinkers had parents who consume alcohol and 86 per cent had peers who also drink.
The prevalence of current alcohol drinkers saw a decrease from 10.2 per cent in 2017 to 7.4 per cent in 2022.
The Adolescent Health Survey 2022 is the third in a series of surveys aimed at assessing the health risk behaviours and protective factors among secondary school students in Malaysia, as a reflection of the health status of adolescents in Malaysia.
Conducted from June 12 to July 8 last year, the survey also shed light on drug use among Malaysian adolescents, revealing that 106,000 adolescents have experimented with drugs at least once and 60,000 are current drug users.
Notably, three out of four drug users began using drugs before age 14.
Inhalants (such as glue and paint) were used by 2.8 per cent of adolescent drug users, ketum by 2.3 per cent, marijuana by 1.1 per cent and amphetamine or methamphetamines by one per cent.
The survey found that adolescent drug users obtained substances by acquiring them from someone (38.4 per cent), giving someone money to buy them (23.1 per cent), stealing them (14.9 per cent), getting them from friends (13.9 per cent) and other ways (9.7 per cent).