SHAH ALAM: All local authorities in Selangor have been instructed to take immediate action to seize and confiscate advertisements related to electronic cigarette products in the state.
State public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said the decision was made during a coordination meeting chaired by her on May 16 to discuss the proposal of banning the sale of electronic cigarettes in Selangor.
"This action is in line with the provisions of the Control of Tobacco Product for Public Health Act 2023 (Act 852), which explicitly prohibits any form of advertising, promotion and sponsorship related to electronic smoking products,” she said in a statement on Tuesday (May 20).
Jamaliah said the meeting also examined various issues related to the use and sale of electronic cigarettes, including enforcement challenges, licensing, legal aspects and monitoring.
"The issue of online sales was also discussed, as it is difficult to control and is often the main channel for teenagers to obtain these products.
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According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2022 report, it is estimated that nearly 14.9 per cent of male teenagers aged 13 to 17 in Malaysia use electronic cigarettes. This statistic is very worrying and calls for urgent proactive action at the state level,” she said.
Following this, she said the state government, through the Public Health Standing Committee, will hold a follow-up meeting soon to discuss policy options that should be considered before the final proposal is presented at the state executive council meeting for a decision.
Jamaliah said the step is to ensure that every policy introduced by the state government takes into account the impact on public health and future generations.
"The state government also highly welcomes the active role of parents, educational institutions, civil society and relevant agencies at the state and federal levels to ensure that the actions taken are truly effective and sustainable,” she added.- Bernama
