KUALA LUMPUR: The best way to ensure public health is by completely banning all e-cigarette or vaping products as they offer no benefit to the population, said Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president raised his concerns about the serious health implications caused by vaping.
“It is evident from the facts and figures that vaping offers no benefit, both in terms of health and costs for healthcare.
“The association seconds the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s suggestion that the use of e-cigarettes or vapes be completely banned in the country.
“We urge the government to give due consideration to this suggestion put forward by His Royal Highness as we are equally concerned,” he said in an MMA statement yesterday.
He shared that vaping could lead to serious health issues such as breathing problems, severe lung disease and other organ damage.
“Vaping, directly and indirectly, can lead to addiction to drugs and other harmful substances.
“Vaping is an issue that must be dealt in an urgent manner before it causes irreversible damage to health.
“The increasing vape usage by youth in the country is particularly troubling and needs to be nipped in the bud,” he said.
Dr Kalwinder pointed out that as of 2020, as many as 2,807 people had been hospitalised with Evali (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury) as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States.
“In Malaysia, a total of 41 Evali cases were reported between 2019 and Sept 30 this year.
“It was reported recently that the Malaysian government has to fork out more than RM150,000 to treat each individual suffering from Evali.
“The Health Ministry has stated that the treatment cost (for Evali) is projected to rise to RM369mil annually by 2030 if no control measures are taken against the use of e-cigarettes.
“We are of the view that the best control measure would be a total ban on all e-cigarette or vaping products,” he said.
In a Sinar Harian report earlier this week, Sultan Abdullah expressed concern over the increasing drug abuse in Pahang, especially among the youth, based on statistics from the National Anti-Drugs Agency.
Sultan Abdullah made these remarks during the 2024 Pahang State Maahad Tahfiz Excellence Award Ceremony in Kuantan on Monday, where he said the path to drug addiction for youth, both directly and indirectly, starts with vaping.
