As the usage rate of vapes among Malaysian teenagers continues to rise. The Malaysian Thoracic Association and the Lung Foundation have called on the government to immediately and fully implement the Public Health Smoking Products Control Act 2024. Experts have warned that many vape products look very much like toys, candies, or even USB devices, seriously inducing addiction among teenagers and potentially becoming “entry-level products” for drug use.
Key points:
- Malaysia is facing the challenge of rising vape usage among teenagers, and the government has been called upon to take urgent action.
- Legal experts and healthcare groups urge the prompt implementation of the Public Health Smoking Products Control Act 2024 (Act 852).
- Surveys show that the correlation between vape use and illegal drug abuse is becoming increasingly obvious.
- Some states have taken measures to restrict the sale of vapes, but national law enforcement is considered necessary.
E-cigarette addiction among teenagers surges
According to Sinar Harian, with the a significant increase in the usage rate of vapes among Malaysian teenagers. The government, especially the Ministry of Health of Malaysia, has been urged to immediately and fully implement the Public Health Smoking Products Control Act 2024 (Act No. 852).
The Malaysian Thoracic Association (MTS) and the Malaysian Lung Foundation (LFM) said in a joint statement that it is crucial to take immediate action to curb the deteriorating health crisis caused by the use of harmful products. The statement pointed out that many vape devices are designed to resemble toys, marker pens, USB storage devices and candies, and their brightly colored appearances mask the danger of nicotine addiction.
Malaysian organizations urge government to fully implement tobacco control law immediately
The statement also warned that this product strategy is not a damage reduction; instead, it is attracting young users to join the ranks of users. More seriously, teachers and counselors have found that the use of vapes has become the beginning of teenagers’ exposure to drugs. Data shows that after students use scented vapes, they switch to using prohibited substances, and the number of positive cases of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other drugs detected in school drug tests has increased.
The report points out that the government needs to immediately ban the use of vapes nationwide to address the escalation of health risks and the abuse of prohibited items among teenagers. Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, the chairperson of the Community Safety Alliance, said that the police have recently found that the detection rate of e-liquid containing drugs has increased by 32%, while data from the Ministry of Health reveals that 65.6% of the e-liquid seized in the past two years contained dangerous drugs.
Furthermore, MTS and LFM stated that legislation and full enforcement will curb the proliferation of vape products and strict measures can be taken against marketing activities targeting teenagers, including the ban on toy-like devices. At the same time, they expressed appreciation for the proactive measures taken by states such as Johor, Kelantan. Terengganu and Perak to restrict the sale of vapes, but warned that without consistent federal law enforcement, these efforts might not be sufficient to address the national issue.
