Kuala Lampur, April 29 -- Recently, former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin proposed that the Ministry of Health (MOH) ban the display of cigarettes in shops and implement plain packaging for cigarettes.

While the intention may be to curb smoking rates, I fear that such punitive measures could ultimately exacerbate existing problems rather than solve them.

The notion of a tobacco display ban isn't new. Iceland notably implemented this policy, requiring retailers to conceal tobacco products from public view. Theoretically, such bans are believed to deter youth initiation into smoking, particularly where illicit markets are absent.

However, a closer look at neighbouring countries reveals a stark reality. In Singapore, for instance, cont...