PETALING JAYA: Regulating the vape industry is the key to curbing vaping among schoolchildren, says Malaysian Organisation of Vape Entities president Samsul Kamal Ariffin.
He said since the exemption of nicotine as a controlled substance under the Poisons Act in March 2023, the content of related products has become unregulated.
“Now the use of nicotine has become a social issue, not a legal issue.
“We need to trust that the industry would self-regulate as they too want to sustain their businesses.
“But it has to be regulated by the Health Ministry (MOH) and Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, which already have existing enforcement units.
“At the end of the day, whether there are laws, regulations and guidelines, without proper enforcement there is no point to it all,” he said in response to a report that found close to 20,000 students vaping in schools were reported last year.
Citing figures from the Students Discipline System, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said there were 19,450 cases reported last year.
To curb vaping among students, Samsul Kamal recommends the prohibition of vape shops near schools.
He also said there should be clear guidelines, with warnings on the labels of vape products.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations’ Tobacco Control/SmokeFreeMY Initiative co-ordinator Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah is also calling on MOH to expedite its review and strengthen regulations on the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products, particularly those with attractive packaging and flavours targeting youth.
ALSO READ: Surge of students vaping in school
Licensing mechanisms through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission should be employed to ban online sales, he added.
Muhammad Sha’ani said adults must be good role models.
“Adults must demonstrate positive values, including refraining from smoking in public spaces, especially in the presence of children,” he said, adding that the association is seriously concerned about the surge in cases of student vaping in schools.
While they acknowledged the efforts of the Education Ministry in implementing disciplinary action and awareness campaigns, the current situation clearly demands enhanced preventive strategies involving all relevant stakeholders, including parents, educators, local authorities and health regulators, Muhammad Sha’ani added.
Malaysian Medical Association’s Action on Smoking and Health committee adviser Prof Datuk Dr Lekhraj Rampal called on the government to relook banning vape altogether.
He said there was a recommendation to MOH more than a decade ago to ban vape.
ALSO READ: Vaping in schools surges: Nearly 20,000 cases reported in 2024
“At the time we could not even tackle the issues with smoking. As such, we felt vaping should have been banned from the very beginning.
“The minister (at the time) had formed a technical committee to look at the problem with vape.
“I was the adviser and it was my advice to ban vaping. The recommendation was then taken to the Cabinet but the decision was to regulate it. But I had told them that vape will bring about bigger problems because it can lead to drug use,” he said.
Dr Rampal pointed out that tobacco use is the cause behind 20,000 deaths in Malaysia, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
In order to reduce non-communicable diseases, Dr Rampal said we need to reduce the use of tobacco instead of worsening the problem with the presence of vape use.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association president Datuk Adzwan Manas said the industry believes that vape products should not be used by any individual below the age of 18.
He said vape products should only be used by adults, especially cigarette smokers who are seeking to quit smoking.
Vape products have been proven in many countries to be less harmful compared to cigarettes and effective to help cigarette smokers quit smoking.
