PETALING JAYA: Vaping and e-cigarettes have crossed the danger point and the Health Ministry must act fast to ban them, says the Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP).
Its senior education officer NV Subbarow said the ministry has to take firm action to show its seriousness in handling the issue.
"CAP was surprised and disappointed when the Health Minister announced that the total cost of e-cigarette and vaping product use-associated lung injury (Evali) treatment is expected to jump to RM368mil a year by 2030, if no control measures are taken against the use of vaping and e-cigarettes.
"It's the duty of the ministry as the authority to take action and control (the situation).
"If it fails to do so, then who will take the preventive measures needed?" he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 15).
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He said it was regrettable that vaping had become an addictive habit.
"Incidents among students are increasing day by day.
"We are seeing youths, including students, addicted to vaping and e-cigarettes.
"Our youths are becoming addicted to vape and its nicotine-based juice," he said.
Subbarow said there were also cases cited by police where criminals had mixed vape juice with drugs.
"We will have more Evali cases in Malaysia if no stern action is taken.
"The RM150,000 treatment cost (per patient) for Evali is not a problem for (the sufferers). They know the government going to pay.
"Instead, it is those who don't vape (the taxpayers) who have to pay for Evali patients. This is not fair.
"There is only one way to reduce Evali cases (and that is to) ban the sale of vape and e-cigarettes for the safety of future generations," Subbarow added.
On Thursday (Nov 14), Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat it cost RM150,000 to treat one Evali case over a 12-day period.
“If no regulatory steps are taken... the treatment cost is expected to spike up to RM368mil a year by 2030," he said.
