Pharmacists want clear timeline for nationwide vape ban
Malaysian pharmacists urge the government to set a clear timeline for a nationwide vape ban after missing its mid-year target.Summary
The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) has called on the government to provide a clear implementation timeline for a nationwide vape ban, which has missed its mid-2026 target. MPS president Prof Amrahi Buang criticised the government for considering another exemption for liquid nicotine, stating that it cannot claim to end vaping while potentially allowing nicotine vapes to remain on the market. He highlighted rising teenage vaping rates—from 9.8% in 2017 to 14.9% in 2022—and the annual health and economic burden of RM369mil from vape-related diseases, far exceeding the RM118.93mil in excise duty collected last year. Prof Amrahi also expressed alarm over the growing use of vapes for illegal drugs, citing 429 cases and 643 arrests linked to drug-laced vape liquids between January and August. He urged the government to keep nicotine under the Poisons Act 1952, clarify how it interacts with the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, strengthen enforcement against drug-laced vapes, and announce the first phase and implementation timeline for the ban.
(Source：The Star)
