The Malaysian government has dilly-dallied on the need for a vape ban. Despite the many calls for a complete ban for health and social reasons, the government continues to focus on regulation and enforcement.
The government appears to be concerned with the political impact if they issue a vape ban, as the vape industry in Malaysia is substantial, with a retail value estimated at nearly RM3.5 billion in 2023. The government is probably concerned with a backlash from the thousands of Malaysian entrepreneurs, particularly in manufacturing and retail of vaping products; not to mention vape users.
In addition, the introduction of an excise duty on vape liquids containing nicotine in 2023 is generating tax revenue (RM141.1 million from 2021 to 2024 from nicotine and non-nicotine vape liquids). Industry stakeholders argue that a total ban would not eliminate demand but would instead push products into an unregulated black market, making them harder to control and potentially leading to the sale of illicit and unsafe products.
However, all of this is a short-term view of the situation. It does not take into account the crisis that our youth are facing and the enormous health and social burden we are generating for the near future.
The National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2022 showed that for school students aged 13-17 years, 14.9 per cent were e-cig/vape users (23.3 per cent male and 6.2 per cent female). This would mean that of the approximately 2.7 million children (2022 data) aged 13-17 years, about 400,000 are vaping.
Today, that number would easily have exceeded 500,000 and is growing rapidly. In addition, the 2023 NHMS and 2023 Global Adult Tobacco Survey showed that 5 per cent to 5.8 per cent of adults were users of electronic cigarettes.
The access and promotion of vape products to young children and teenagers is widespread, often found just outside school premises. Many primary school students are interested in vaping. Most youth think it is ‘cool’ to vape and probably harm-less as the government has chosen not to ban vaping.
We wonder if any of us can fathom the crisis that is brewing?
More than a half million of our teenagers vaping, and the number growing by the day.
As Deputy Inspector-General of Policy (IGP) Ayob Khan recently disclosed, 65 per cent of confiscated vape devices contained synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and fentanyl. It is not just tobacco they are puffing but chemicals that will irreparably harm their brains and their lungs. Some will add to the growing number of drug addicts.
As our Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently stated, Malaysia had recorded 192,857 drug users in 2024, up by nearly a third from the previous year, with 61 per cent falling within the 15 to 39 age group.
We are grateful for some state governments that have taken the unilateral stand (or planning) to place prohibitions on vape and electronic cigarette products in their region. They include:
- 2016 Johor: no new licences for the sale of vape.
- 2016 Kelantan: banned vaping products in all business premises.
- August 1, 2025 Terengganu: statewide ban on vape sales.
- August 1, 2025 Perlis: statewide ban on vapes and e-cigarettes.
- 2026 Kedah: no new licences for the sale of vape.
- Selangor: deliberating a potential ban.
- Penang: discussing a potential ban.
But without a national ban, which needs to include all online sales, it is not difficult to get vape products in the above states. It is a surprise that the Sarawak government has not taken steps when the rate of vaping in Bumiputera Sarawak school students was 22.5 per cent in 2022, higher than the national average.
This year Malaysia assumed the Chair of Asean. But in most ways we appear to be followers rather than leaders in our region. A number of Asean countries have long banned vaping in their country, these include:
- 2005: Brunei banned e-cigarette sales and imports.
- 2014: Cambodia implemented a vape ban.
- 2014: Thailand banned vaping.
- 2018: Singapore banned e-cigarettes.
- 2021: Laos banned e-cigarettes.
We cannot, as the idiom says, “play the fiddle while Rome burns”. There is increasing medical data that vaping products have adverse impacts on various organ systems. These include nicotine addiction, inflammatory lung conditions (EVALI), cardiovascular effects (arterial stiffness and endothelial damage), immune system damage and long term carcinogen risk. Not to mention that many contain illicit drugs.
There are those who argue that vaping is a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and that we need to support those who have made this switch. For these individuals, we can offer prescription based support as they work to reduce their nicotine dependence.
We appeal to the government to be prudent of the future of our children. Please institute a nationwide ban on vape and e-cigarettes. Better still, bring back the generational end game (GEG) in order to achieve a smoke-free generation.
As we call for a ban on vape and e-cigarettes, we are aware that without robust enforcement measures and harm reduction strategies, it carries a risk of fostering a black market. This black market could supply unregulated products with increased health risks and could also lead to a resurgence in conventional smoking.
Hence, we strongly advocate that a ban should come with education, stricter regulations and enforcement. This would involve having ongoing, comprehensive public health campaigns to educate about the risks of vaping, particularly for youth. We need to have enhanced enforcement against illicit sales, including informal channels, online and cross-border sales.
In addition, there should be strategies to support adults who have switched from cigarettes to vape, to successfully quit smoking.
We need to have a national ban on vape products if we are serious about protecting our youth. Otherwise, we risk a new generation of teen addicts.
Signatories
- Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Consultant Paediatrician, Child-Disability Activist
- Buku Jalanan Chow Kit
- Cikgu Rahayu, Child Rights Activist
- Family Frontiers – Persatuan Kebajikan Sokongan Keluarga Selangor & KL
- Yap Sook Yee, advocate for children and youth with disability
- Irene Xavier
- Persatuan Sahabat Wanita
- Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
- Liga Rakyat Demokratik
- Anisa Ahmad, Child Advocate
- DHRRA Malaysia
- Meera Samanther
- Yayasan Chow Kit
- Prof Noor Aziah Mohd Awal
- Women’s Centre for Change, Penang
- Pertubuhan Kebajikan Vivekananda Rembau NS.
- Association of Women Lawyers (AWL)
- NGOhub
- Global Shepherds
- Jeannie Low
- Dr Amelia Alias
- Liga Rakyat Demokratik
- Azira Aziz
- Protect and Save the Children
- End CSEC Network
- Vanguards4Change
- Hartini Zainudin, Child Activist
- Lim Chee Han, Public Health Policy Researcher, Third World Network & People’s Health Forum
- Johor Women’s League (JEWEL)
- Raymund Jagan, Counsellor
- Childline Foundation
- Women’s Aid Organisation
- Goh Siu Lin, Child Activist
- Melissa Akhir, Kemban Kolektif
- Salina Hussein
- Rizlan Bin Ghazali, Lawyer
- Yasmeen Shariff
- Malaysian Association of Social Workers
- Montessori Association Malaysia
- CRIB Foundation
- The Talisman Project
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
