KUALA LUMPUR: The prices of vape liquids may increase by 1,000% following a proposal by the Health Ministry to increase the tax rate aimed at curbing the widespread purchase of the item, says the Health Ministry.
Deputy Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said this was a proposal by the ministry to the Finance Ministry to be included in Budget 2026.
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“The Health Ministry has proposed to the Finance Ministry that the tax rate for vape liquids, which is currently at 40sen per ml, be raised to RM4 per ml,” he told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Lukanisman was responding to Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasek Gelugor), who wanted to know the current actions taken by the Health Ministry to curb the widespread use of vapes in the country following Budget 2026, while the government works on banning the item.
He said that the tax rate for a stick of cigarette is around 10 puffs compared to 1ml of vape liquid, which equals 100 puffs.
The current excise duty of 40sen per ml is levied on all vape liquids, regardless of nicotine content, as of May 1, 2023.
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He added that nicotine is still fundamentally regulated under the Poisons Act 1952.
“The previous exemption applied only to liquid or gel preparations containing nicotine intended for smoking purposes.
“Now, electronic cigarette liquids are regulated under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 or Act 852, which comes into effect on Oct 1 this year,” he said.
He was replying to a question from Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (PN-Tanjong Karang), who wanted to know the ministry’s readiness to reinstate nicotine into the National Poisons List as vape has now become a serious public health issue affecting youths and school students. Act 852 covers the registration, advertising, sale, packaging, labelling, price control and manufacturing of all smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vape liquids.
Under Section 3 of this Act, Lukanisman said all smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vapes must be registered with the Health Ministry before they can be imported, manufactured or distributed.
“Failure to do so constitutes an offence and may result in a fine, imprisonment or both,” he added.
While the ministry is working towards banning vape products in the country, he said such a move must be implemented before vape-related health cases increase.
Lukanisman added that existing data involving smoking products, including vapes showed 46 cases were related to e-cigarette and vaping product use-associated lung injury (Evali) cases.
