Stalwart's call to defend future generations
As an education officer with the Consumers Association of Penang, Subbarow has spent nearly 35 years championing tobacco control, recently earning the prestigious Tobacco Control Icon Award from the Health Ministry during the 2025 National Tobacco Control Conference and the national-level World No Tobacco Day celebration.
His work, which involves conducting lectures, interactive sessions, and discussions with students to highlight the dangers of smoking and vaping, has had a tangible impact that has seen many young Malaysians abandon these harmful habits.
Subbarow's journey began with a focus on traditional cigarettes, but as the landscape of tobacco use evolved, so did his strategies.
'When I started, it was just cigarettes. Now, the rise of disposable vapes presents a new challenge.
'These devices, often marketed in enticing flavours and easily accessible, have become a simple and inexpensive alternative for many, particularly the youth,' he said, adding that his interactions revealed a concerning trend.
'Children as young as eight or nine have been experimenting with vapes left unattended by family members.
'It's shocking when children say they were encouraged to try these gadgets under the guise of fruit flavours,' he said, highlighting a disturbing trend of rural vapers mixing substances like drugs and stimulants with the vaporiser's liquid.
To achieve both educational and cautionary results, Subbarow said he uses vivid imagery of nicotine's effects and the dangers of e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (Evali) to drive home the risks.
'Seeing these images often frightens students into quitting immediately,' he said, adding that the fear of having erectile dysfunction also works among older male students.
As Subbarow looks to the future, his resolve is unshaken.
Subbarow draws inspiration from figures such as the late SM Mohd Idris, the former president of CAP, and Dr Mary Assunta, an internationally renowned tobacco control researcher, whose legacies fuel his unwavering determination.
'Winning the award doesn't stop my campaign. I've got five more school programmes lined up after the holidays.
'I won't give up until Malaysia is smoke-free,' he said, adding that 20 students are currently seeking his guidance to quit vaping.
So far, he has reached about 30,000 individuals, including students, undergraduates, and youths from various backgrounds.
Teachers and parents have called him to convey their gratitude, sharing stories of how their children have abandoned the smoking culture.
Subbarow also called for stronger policies, including the Generational Endgame Bill aimed at a tobacco-free society by 2040.
'Without action, the vape culture will lead to more drug addicts in our country.
'The Malaysian government cannot wait further to implement a total ban on smoking and vaping products, whether they come with flavours or otherwise.
'State governments that delay action are sitting on a ticking time bomb, creating a critical issue,' he said.
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