Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin

Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Consultant Psychiatrist with Universiti Malaya. He was also an Adjunct Professor in Public Health with the Universitas Airlanggar, Surabaya in Indonesia. He obtained his undergraduate and PhD from the University of Otago, New Zealand. He completed his housemanship and psychiatry specialisation in Malaysia, obtaining his Masters in Psychological Medicine from Universiti Malaya. His interests are broad and include mood disorders, early psychosis, obesity, sleep and also tobacco control, in particular smoking cessation. Dr Amer leads the Nicotine Addiction Research Group of the University Malaya Centre of Addiction Sciences (UMCAS) - NARCC and his research work is primarily in assisting people to quit smoking. His group has successfully won many research grants locally such as theLRGS, FRGS, UM Grand Challenge, UMRG and UM Matching Grant and external grants for their research work. Through his research, his team developed SCOPE training, one of 4 accredited training programs to become a smoking cessation provider in Malaysia. SCOPE training recently adopted a hybrid model of training (digital and face to face) and is now internationally known. To strengthen quit smoking interventions, his team linked with experts in New Zealand and has translated, validated and piloted a Group Based Smoking Cessation training (GBM). His team also developed PROSCite, a tool to evaluate smoking cessation training and recently launched a mobile app to assist people to quit smoking – Getting Everyone to Quit Smoking (GEMPAQ). Other innovations include developing a machine which smokes to spur basic science research in this area in UM. Dr Amer is also the Malaysia lead for international collaborations in this area namely the International Tobacco Control Study (ITC) which is a research consortium of 26 member countries looking at tobacco control policies globally. Apart from research and teaching, Dr Amer is in a number of technical working groups in tobacco control and smoking cessation for the Malaysia Ministry of Health and World Health Organization Regional Office. He was also part of the Parliamentarian Select Committee in assisting with the Tobacco Control Bill which was passed in December 2023, incepted in 2024 and enforced in 2025. His team is also very much involved in the Smoke Free Malaysia agenda playing a key role in the mQuit initiative. His team also developed a student based advocacy program – HEBAT, which aims to train young people to become tobacco control advocates and further supporting and encouraging Malaysia to be a smoke free nation via the Generation End Game (GEG) agenda. Despite his busy schedule, he is still very much active in patient care where he practices in both University Malaya Medical Centre and University Malaya Specialist Center as a psychiatrist apart from his administrative duty as the Director of UMCares, the main central facility in charge of community engagement and sustainability for the whole of the university.

Job Title

Head

Faculty / Department / Division

Department of Psychological Medicine

Institution / Organisation

Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya

19 November 2026, Thursday

Time	Session

08:30 13:20	Pre-congress Workshop 2 - Smoking and Vaping Cessation Introduction & Ice Breaking Henry Marshall Speaker Australia Nurhayati Mohd Marzuki Speaker Malaysia Basic Science & Pharmacology: Nicotine Delivery Mechanisms, Absorption Rates, and Neurobiology of Addiction Mohamad Haniki bin Nik Mohamed Speaker Malaysia Toxicology & Technology: Chemical Composition Differences, Toxicology Profiles, and Device Technology Evolution Siti Munira Yasin Speaker Malaysia Behavioural Therapy & Cultural Adaptation: Evidence-based Counseling and Strategies for Culturally Diverse AP Populations Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin Speaker Malaysia Pharmacotherapy & Evidence-Based Treatment: Comprehensive Overview of Clinical Cessation Protocols (LMIC vs HIC) Suthat Rungruanghiranya Speaker Thailand "Tobacco dependence remains the leading single cause of preventable global morbidity and mortality, accounting for over 7 million deaths annually among 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. An acute global equity gap persists: 80% of all tobacco users reside in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), yet population-level access to World Health Organization (WHO) best-practice cessation services stands at only 4% in low-income countries and 11% in middle-income countries, compared to 28% in high- income countries (HICs). While HIC treatment guidelines rely heavily on insurance-covered, high-cost first-line pharmacotherapies such as Varenicline ($400–$500 per course) and combination nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), LMIC populations face a severe economic hurdle where the out-of-pocket cost for a single month of NRT frequently exceeds the cost of continuing to smoke. This presentation evaluates strategies to bridge this global divide by analyzing the neurobiological imperatives of tobacco addiction, comparing clinical treatment guidelines, and introducing high-efficacy, low-cost pharmacotherapy combined with scalable community delivery models. Neurobiological evidence confirms that tobacco dependence is a physiological receptor-driven addiction requiring pharmacotherapy, which quintuples cessation success compared to unassisted quit attempts (~25% vs ~5%). Cytisine—a plant-based partial α4β2 nicotinic receptor agonist costing ~$20–$30 per treatment course—emerges as a transformative solution for LMICs. Clinical evidence from the randomized, double-blind Thai STEP trial (Respirology 2024; n=1,086) demonstrated that a 25-day course of locally manufactured Cytisine achieved non-inferior continuous abstinence rates compared to a 12-week course of Nortriptyline (10% at 12 months) with favorable tolerability. To operationalize these findings in resource-constrained health systems, a three-tiered LMIC master-algorithm is presented: task-shifting initial screening (Ask & Advise) to Community Health Workers, scaling automated mobile mCessation behavioral support, and providing generic Cytisine. Because global tobacco control 's primary challenge is structural rather than scientific, pairing affordable essential medicines with community-based participatory care offers a proven, equitable path toward reducing global tobacco mortality." Policy & The Precautionary Principle: E-cigarettes as Cessation Techniques vs. Debunking Tobacco Harm-reduction Strategies Coral Gartner Speaker Australia Tea Break Case 1 (Clinical/HIC): Managing Heavy Smoking with High Comorbidity in Established Health Systems Ser Hon Puah Speaker Singapore Case 2 (Youth/Dual Addiction): Approach for Adolescents and Young Adults; Managing Dual Use and High-nicotine Salt Dependence Mohamad Haniki bin Nik Mohamed Speaker Malaysia Case 3 (Environmental/Occupational): Resource-limited Solutions for Workplace Exposure and Community-based Cessation Coral Gartner Speaker Australia Case 4 (Governmental Policy): Effective Regional Policies and the Impact of Legislative Frameworks in the AP Region Suthat Rungruanghiranya Speaker Thailand Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death across the Asia-Pacific region, yet this area also demonstrates that comprehensive, well-financed, and industry-insulated legislation can effectively reduce smoking prevalence. This summary explores the legislative and governance frameworks essential for robust tobacco control, primarily focusing on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the MPOWER technical package. Effective governmental strategies require simultaneous implementation of multiple measures, including progressive excise taxation, comprehensive smoke-free laws, and standardized packaging with pictorial health warnings. Furthermore, securing earmarked and transparent financing, as exemplified by Thailand's Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), provides the operational continuity necessary to sustain long-term public health campaigns. A persistent challenge in the region is tobacco industry interference, which necessitates strict adherence to FCTC Article 5.3 to protect public health policies from commercial vested interests. Thailand’s ongoing four-decade confrontation with the tobacco industry and New Zealand’s recent reversal of its ambitious "endgame" legislative package illustrate that even rigorous, evidence-based policies remain politically fragile without durable cross-party consensus and strict firewalls. Furthermore, novel nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, are increasingly utilized by the industry to access policymaking processes under the guise of harm reduction. To ensure durable population-level reductions in tobacco use, the following structural features are recommended: (1) Implement the full MPOWER package simultaneously rather than relying on isolated measures. (2) Establish earmarked, transparent financing insulated from annual budget politics. (3) Enact and continuously monitor strict Article 5.3 firewalls across all government branches, including regulations for novel nicotine products. (4) Invest in sustained tobacco industry denormalization (TID) to educate the public and policymakers about industry tactics. (5) Foster regional technical and diplomatic solidarity to support smaller nations in translating FCTC obligations into enforceable laws. "Systems Thinking" in Cessation: Situating Cessation as an Integral Service Within Primary Care and Pulmonary Medicine Nurhayati Mohd Marzuki Speaker Malaysia Implementation Science: Integrating "Systems for Success" Across Different Health Tiers and Socio-economic Settings Ser Hon Puah Speaker Singapore Panel Discussion & Closing: LMICs/HICs Considerations and a Roadmap for a Nicotine-Free AP 2030 Henry Marshall Speaker Australia Nurhayati Mohd Marzuki Speaker Malaysia Function Room 7, Ground Mezzanine Floor

Time

Session

08:30

13:20

Pre-congress Workshop 2 - Smoking and Vaping Cessation

Introduction & Ice Breaking

Henry Marshall Speaker Australia

Nurhayati Mohd Marzuki Speaker Malaysia
Basic Science & Pharmacology:
Nicotine Delivery Mechanisms, Absorption Rates, and Neurobiology of Addiction

Mohamad Haniki bin Nik Mohamed Speaker Malaysia
Toxicology & Technology:
Chemical Composition Differences, Toxicology Profiles, and Device Technology Evolution

Siti Munira Yasin Speaker Malaysia
Behavioural Therapy & Cultural Adaptation:
Evidence-based Counseling and Strategies for Culturally Diverse AP Populations

Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin Speaker Malaysia
Pharmacotherapy & Evidence-Based Treatment:
Comprehensive Overview of Clinical Cessation Protocols (LMIC vs HIC)

Suthat Rungruanghiranya Speaker Thailand

"Tobacco dependence remains the leading single cause of preventable global morbidity and mortality, accounting for over 7 million deaths annually among 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. An acute global equity gap persists: 80% of all tobacco users reside in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), yet population-level access to World Health Organization (WHO) best-practice cessation services stands at only 4% in low-income countries and 11% in middle-income countries, compared to 28% in high- income countries (HICs). While HIC treatment guidelines rely heavily on insurance-covered, high-cost first-line pharmacotherapies such as Varenicline ($400–$500 per course) and combination nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), LMIC populations face a severe economic hurdle where the out-of-pocket cost for a single month of NRT frequently exceeds the cost of continuing to smoke. This presentation evaluates strategies to bridge this global divide by analyzing the neurobiological imperatives of tobacco addiction, comparing clinical treatment guidelines, and introducing high-efficacy, low-cost pharmacotherapy combined with scalable community delivery models. Neurobiological evidence confirms that tobacco dependence is a physiological receptor-driven addiction requiring pharmacotherapy, which quintuples cessation success compared to unassisted quit attempts (~25% vs ~5%). Cytisine—a plant-based partial α4β2 nicotinic receptor agonist costing ~$20–$30 per treatment course—emerges as a transformative solution for LMICs. Clinical evidence from the randomized, double-blind Thai STEP trial (Respirology 2024; n=1,086) demonstrated that a 25-day course of locally manufactured Cytisine achieved non-inferior continuous abstinence rates compared to a 12-week course of Nortriptyline (10% at 12 months) with favorable tolerability. To operationalize these findings in resource-constrained health systems, a three-tiered LMIC master-algorithm is presented: task-shifting initial screening (Ask & Advise) to Community Health Workers, scaling automated mobile mCessation behavioral support, and providing generic Cytisine. Because global tobacco control 's primary challenge is structural rather than scientific, pairing affordable essential medicines with community-based participatory care offers a proven, equitable path toward reducing global tobacco mortality."
Policy & The Precautionary Principle:
E-cigarettes as Cessation Techniques vs. Debunking Tobacco Harm-reduction Strategies

Coral Gartner Speaker Australia
Tea Break
Case 1 (Clinical/HIC):
Managing Heavy Smoking with High Comorbidity in Established Health Systems

Ser Hon Puah Speaker Singapore
Case 2 (Youth/Dual Addiction):
Approach for Adolescents and Young Adults; Managing Dual Use and High-nicotine Salt Dependence

Mohamad Haniki bin Nik Mohamed Speaker Malaysia
Case 3 (Environmental/Occupational):
Resource-limited Solutions for Workplace Exposure and Community-based Cessation

Coral Gartner Speaker Australia
Case 4 (Governmental Policy):
Effective Regional Policies and the Impact of Legislative Frameworks in the AP Region

Suthat Rungruanghiranya Speaker Thailand

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death across the Asia-Pacific region, yet this area also demonstrates that comprehensive, well-financed, and industry-insulated legislation can effectively reduce smoking prevalence. This summary explores the legislative and governance frameworks essential for robust tobacco control, primarily focusing on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the MPOWER technical package. Effective governmental strategies require simultaneous implementation of multiple measures, including progressive excise taxation, comprehensive smoke-free laws, and standardized packaging with pictorial health warnings. Furthermore, securing earmarked and transparent financing, as exemplified by Thailand's Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), provides the operational continuity necessary to sustain long-term public health campaigns. A persistent challenge in the region is tobacco industry interference, which necessitates strict adherence to FCTC Article 5.3 to protect public health policies from commercial vested interests. Thailand’s ongoing four-decade confrontation with the tobacco industry and New Zealand’s recent reversal of its ambitious "endgame" legislative package illustrate that even rigorous, evidence-based policies remain politically fragile without durable cross-party consensus and strict firewalls. Furthermore, novel nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, are increasingly utilized by the industry to access policymaking processes under the guise of harm reduction. To ensure durable population-level reductions in tobacco use, the following structural features are recommended: (1) Implement the full MPOWER package simultaneously rather than relying on isolated measures. (2) Establish earmarked, transparent financing insulated from annual budget politics. (3) Enact and continuously monitor strict Article 5.3 firewalls across all government branches, including regulations for novel nicotine products. (4) Invest in sustained tobacco industry denormalization (TID) to educate the public and policymakers about industry tactics. (5) Foster regional technical and diplomatic solidarity to support smaller nations in translating FCTC obligations into enforceable laws.
"Systems Thinking" in Cessation:
Situating Cessation as an Integral Service Within Primary Care and Pulmonary Medicine

Nurhayati Mohd Marzuki Speaker Malaysia
Implementation Science:
Integrating "Systems for Success" Across Different Health Tiers and Socio-economic Settings

Ser Hon Puah Speaker Singapore
Panel Discussion & Closing:
LMICs/HICs Considerations and a Roadmap for a Nicotine-Free AP 2030

Henry Marshall Speaker Australia

Nurhayati Mohd Marzuki Speaker Malaysia

Function Room 7, Ground Mezzanine Floor

21 November 2026, Saturday

Time	Session

11:00 12:30	S20: Tobacco Control Henry Marshall Chairperson Australia Ser Hon Puah Chairperson Singapore The Challenge of Dual- and Poly- Nicotine Product Use Coral Gartner Speaker Australia Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation in Resource Limited Situations: LMIC Perspective Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin Speaker Malaysia Be Aware and Be Vigilant: Tobacco Industry Interference Suthat Rungruanghiranya Speaker Thailand "The tobacco industry acts as the primary ""commercial vector"" driving global non-communicable diseases (NCDs), responsible for approximately 8 million deaths annually and an economic burden of $1.5 trillion. Drawing from clinical and public health evidence presented at APSR 2026, this session examines the multi-faceted tactics employed by tobacco corporations to undermine tobacco control policies, manipulate scientific discourse, and delay life-saving regulations across the Asia-Pacific region. Through a strategic ""policy dystopia"" framework, the industry utilizes discursive narratives—such as warning of economic loss, illicit trade, and legal violations—alongside instrumental strategies, including lobbying non-health government ministries and establishing front groups like ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST). Corporate tactics routinely stall legislation, resulting in years of unenforced acts and policy rollbacks in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Furthermore, the industry exploits public health crises, such as COVID-19, through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and tobacco-leaf vaccine research to gain unmonitored access to government officials. To distort scientific reality, the industry promotes ""switch vs. quit"" narratives and funds biased research, with 65% of heated tobacco comparisons being industry-affiliated and 100% of biomarker trials carrying a high risk of bias. Simultaneously, corporations target healthcare professionals through sponsored continuing medical education (CME) and infiltrate the pharmaceutical sector—such as acquiring respiratory inhaler manufacturers—creating a profound ethical conflict by profiting concurrently from tobacco-caused diseases and their treatments. To counter these commercial determinants of health, public health strategies must strictly enforce Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) across the whole of government. Comprehensive defense requires enforcing zero-conflict policies, complete transparency, binding codes of conduct, and restricted official interaction. Ultimately, health authorities should adopt the TARGET roadmap—focusing on Tobacco endgame, Accelerating MPOWER, Reducing nicotine levels, Generation nicotine-free policies, Eliminating interference, and Tobacco industry denormalization—to isolate the vector and safeguard public health." Q&A Ballroom 4, Lower Ground Floor

Time

Session

11:00

12:30

S20: Tobacco Control

Henry Marshall Chairperson Australia

Ser Hon Puah Chairperson Singapore

The Challenge of Dual- and Poly- Nicotine Product Use

Coral Gartner Speaker Australia
Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation in Resource Limited Situations: LMIC Perspective

Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin Speaker Malaysia
Be Aware and Be Vigilant: Tobacco Industry Interference

Suthat Rungruanghiranya Speaker Thailand

"The tobacco industry acts as the primary ""commercial vector"" driving global non-communicable diseases (NCDs), responsible for approximately 8 million deaths annually and an economic burden of $1.5 trillion. Drawing from clinical and public health evidence presented at APSR 2026, this session examines the multi-faceted tactics employed by tobacco corporations to undermine tobacco control policies, manipulate scientific discourse, and delay life-saving regulations across the Asia-Pacific region. Through a strategic ""policy dystopia"" framework, the industry utilizes discursive narratives—such as warning of economic loss, illicit trade, and legal violations—alongside instrumental strategies, including lobbying non-health government ministries and establishing front groups like ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST). Corporate tactics routinely stall legislation, resulting in years of unenforced acts and policy rollbacks in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Furthermore, the industry exploits public health crises, such as COVID-19, through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and tobacco-leaf vaccine research to gain unmonitored access to government officials. To distort scientific reality, the industry promotes ""switch vs. quit"" narratives and funds biased research, with 65% of heated tobacco comparisons being industry-affiliated and 100% of biomarker trials carrying a high risk of bias. Simultaneously, corporations target healthcare professionals through sponsored continuing medical education (CME) and infiltrate the pharmaceutical sector—such as acquiring respiratory inhaler manufacturers—creating a profound ethical conflict by profiting concurrently from tobacco-caused diseases and their treatments. To counter these commercial determinants of health, public health strategies must strictly enforce Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) across the whole of government. Comprehensive defense requires enforcing zero-conflict policies, complete transparency, binding codes of conduct, and restricted official interaction. Ultimately, health authorities should adopt the **TARGET** roadmap—focusing on Tobacco endgame, Accelerating MPOWER, Reducing nicotine levels, Generation nicotine-free policies, Eliminating interference, and Tobacco industry denormalization—to isolate the vector and safeguard public health."
Q&A

Ballroom 4, Lower Ground Floor

Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin

19 November 2026, Thursday

21 November 2026, Saturday

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