Delayed poison registry updates hamper synthetic drug probes, says minister
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail warns that delays in updating the poisons registry are hindering police investigations into synthetic drugs like 'Piu Piu'.Summary
The emergence of a new synthetic drug known as 'Piu Piu', found in e-cigarette liquids, has prompted calls for a ban on vapes. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay argued that the drug's mixture of Fentanyl and psychoactive chemicals justifies a total ban. However, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail highlighted a critical bottleneck: delays in updating the poisons registry under the Poisons Act 1952. He explained that when investigations trace cases to synthetic drugs, the chemistry department identifies toxic elements, but if these are missing from the registry, it severely complicates legal proceedings. Saifuddin stated that the issue has been brought to the Cabinet for a permanent solution and that the home ministry is coordinating with the health ministry and the chemistry department to enhance enforcement against new synthetic drug syndicates. He noted a shift in drug trends, with east coast states now dominated by synthetic drugs, which have a more devastating impact compared to the mixed substances still found on the west coast.
(Source：Free Malaysia Today)
