Sweet scents, bitter consequences

THE sleek, neon-coloured devices and sweet scent of mango or vanilla wafting through our public spaces tell a deceptive story.

To the untrained eye, the use of vaping devices or e-cigarettes looks like a harmless modern habit – a trendy lifestyle choice for the digital age.

But as Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad sternly warned during the recent national-level World No Tobacco Day 2026 celebration, this is a carefully crafted illusion – some are even designed to mimic USB drives or stationery in efforts to normalise its existence in everyday life.

It is time for Malaysia to strip away the cool factor and see nicotine addiction for what it truly is: a danger to our health.

And unrealised by many, the statistics are alarming.

While traditional cigarette use among Malaysians aged 13 to 17 has dipped to 6.2%, an electronic version has filled the void. Nearly 15% of our teenagers are now using e-cigarettes. This shift is no accident. It is the result of a calculated industry effort to repackage dependence as lifestyle products that appeal directly to children’s and youths’ aesthetic and sensory preferences.

Nevertheless, behind the vibrant colours and enticing flavours lies a harsh reality.

As Dzulkefly noted, behind every cloud of flavoured vapour is a public health burden and a lifetime of addiction; we are witnessing the normalisation of a product that, in its intended use, kills one in two users.

To the naysayers of those who oppose the use of vapes and e-cigarettes, it must be reminded that there is no concrete proof that it is objectively better than smoking tobacco, as nicotine alone is toxic enough especially for the young. The aerosol produced by these devices also contain harmful cancer-causing carcinogens as it is inhaled deeply into the lungs.

Some claim that it is a better alternative to traditional cigarettes particularly for those who want to stop lighting up one, but what good does an alternative offer if it similarly leads the user down the same path?

This is a trend that must be stopped, especially for our children, judging by the statistics laid out by the Health Ministry. That is more than a reminder; it’s also a warning for something worse to come if it is goes unmitigated.

True, we, the people, must act as the first line of defence. Parents and teachers cannot afford to be complacent, dismissing e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to smoking. They must be exemplary and educated to identify these devices and have honest conversations with youths about the chemical traps hidden within them.

But the burden should not be weighed and rested solely on families’ shoulders. This is where the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 steps in, which enforcement can realise the aspired change.

Eyes must be trained at companies or vendors that target minors as their potential product users.

We can take a leaf out of the new Tamil Nadu chief minister, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar’s book – just a few days into the office, he has ordered the immediate closure of 717 state-run liquor shops and reinforced strict regulatory restrictions. The policy shift focuses on heavily restricting alcohol access near public spaces, especially schools, and enforcing age laws.

Similarly, there must be zero tolerance for shops located near schools or for those that sell vapes and e-cigarettes to underage individuals in Malaysia.

If these products are repackaged to lure children, then the law must be packaged to bite.

We cannot allow the health of future generations to be traded for corporate profit. We must unmask the appeal, regulate the industry without compromise, and collectively insist that addiction is never, and will never, be cool.