Too many puffs: Several groups had called for ban of vapes outright.
KUALA LUMPUR: Close to 20,000 cases of students vaping in schools were reported last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Citing figures from the Students Discipline System (SSDM), Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said there were 19,450 cases reported last year.
This is more than five times the number of students caught smoking (3,704).
“The trend of students smoking decreased but the number of vaping cases increased.
“For all these cases, the ministry has taken action against students in accordance with the set guidelines,” he said during question time in Parliament yesterday.
Wong also said teachers, school staff, canteen operators and other individuals cannot bring vapes into schools.
“Existing guidelines and notices are clear on this.”
He was responding to a question by Roslan Hashim (PN-Kulim Bandar Baharu) who asked about the ministry’s plans to tackle vaping in schools.
Wong said the ministry also issued a notice on the ban of e-cigarettes or vapes in schools in 2015, while advocacy programmes against vaping are also carried out.
“Students are also educated on the harms of using e-cigarettes or vapes,” he said, adding that the ministry also works closely with other stakeholders on this.
Separately, he said cases of vaping outside school compounds are under the jurisdiction of local authorities as well as the Health Ministry.
“We can only take action inside schools.
“The Education Ministry will also furnish data on students smoking and vaping to the Health Ministry.
“The Health Ministry can then make a data-based decision based on whether or not to outright ban vapes,” Wong said.
This was in response to a question by Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) who asked about cases of students vaping outside their schools.
Khoo also asked if the Education Ministry will propose for the Health Ministry to ban vapes outright.
The exchange comes after calls by several groups to ban the product.
Recently, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad also said the ministry is ready to revisit the possibility of banning vapes.
