PETALING JAYA: With vape products still being marketed and sold online despite the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) being enforced, anti-smoking groups want the authorities and platform operators to take a more aggressive policing approach.
Malaysia Council for Tobacco Control president Dr M. Murallitharan said Act 852 was very clear in banning the sale of such products online, and asked how these products’ online presence was being monitored.
“The duty of making sure these products are not online is a big responsibility of the online platforms too,” he said.
He suggested that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission handle the issue of tobacco products content with the same approach it used to censor 3R (race, religion and royalty) content.
“Something similar should be in place, if not already there. It needs to be proactive and not only based on complaints,” he added.
On the marketing of suspicious liquids with the label “mushrooms” online, he said these products often contained multiple substances each with its own addictive mechanisms and health hazards.
“The sellers may not even know what they are selling. The whole thing is extremely dangerous,” he said.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations tobacco and smoking control coordinator Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah described the situation as concerning as easy access to such substances could be the pathway to crimes and other vices.
“Vape devices can lead to drug abuse and it will be hard to trace. It can even be used by children,” he said when contacted.
He urged the government to set a clear timeline to phase out smoking products in line with the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
“As a party, Malaysia is obligated to fully implement the provisions of the FCTC. This includes achieving the Tobacco Endgame target by 2040, as outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Tobacco Control and Smoking Products 2021-2030,” he said.
Muhammad Sha’ani said efforts should also be focused on the phased expansion of smoke-free zones and banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale.
Consumers Association of Penang education officer N.V. Subbarow called for increased emphasis in halting vape addiction. “Any delay in tackling the issue will be very dangerous for the young and our future generations. We cannot adopt a wait-and-see attitude as alarm bells are already ringing loudly,” he said.
