PETALING JAYA: Following surveys showing that the number of students consuming vapes and e-cigarettes has doubled, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) is calling for Parliament to bring back the Generational End Game (GEG) Bill immediately.
The association's senior education officer NV Subbarow said support for the bill is critical and it is shocking that policy makers are delaying it.
"CAP is calling an urgent emergency to bring the GEG Bill back to Parliament without delay.
"As many as 9.2 million Malaysians have already expressed their full support for this bill, and support for this bill is critical to prioritise our children’s health and wellbeing.
"It is both shocking and disappointing that policy makers and some MPs are delaying this bill.
"It has become a football, kicked back and forth, while the vape traders are making money at the expense of our youth," he said in a statement Saturday (Oct 28).
Subbarow added that the survey has found the number of school children vaping in both primary and secondary schools was rising rapidly.
"The latest survey on vaping and e-cigarette use conducted by CAP found that in some schools, the number of vape users has increased from 50 students to 150 students.
"In another school, it was from 60 to 100.
"These figures were confirmed by the discipline teachers from the secondary schools.
"In primary school, the teachers found that students who are addicted to vaping cannot stop.
"The schools simply don’t have the capacity to help these students.
"Some schools are only conducting spot checks on students who are suspected of vaping and smoking as a way to monitor the problem," he said.
Subbarow further explained that buying these harmful vape products has been made easy online.
He said many parents also complained to CAP that their children are ordering vape liquids online.
"These children are using the parents' credit card to purchase nicotine liquids.
"The situation is out of control.
"There are many schools in rural areas facing the same problems.
"Vaping and e-cigarette issues are very popular now because they are aggressively promoted and advertised on social media.
"There are thousands of candy and fruit flavours and gimmicky designs to trap children.
"Vape products are sold almost everywhere," he said.
Hence, Subbarow said CAP would like to remind the government that health is more important than the wealth of just a few people.
"We should not sacrifice the future generation and surrender them to a life of addiction.
"CAP again requests that the GEG Bill be brought to Parliament urgently," he said.
