Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said Malaysia is “moving towards” a total ban on the sale and use of vapes to curb misuse. The measure will be implemented in phases, starting with open-system vapes before extending to all products, Channel News Asia reported.
“It is no longer if we ban, but when we ban,” Dzulkefly told reporters on Sept. 11, adding that a Cabinet paper on the matter is being finalized.
The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) criticized the plan, saying prohibition would fuel illicit sales. “Consumers may end up exposed to products without knowing they contain illicit substances, leading to addiction,” MRECA president Adzwan Ab Manas told The Straits Times.
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Vaping devices. Photo from Instagram |
He added that offenders who mix illicit substances into vape products should be punished rather than law-abiding retailers, suggesting that licensed shops be allowed to sell Health Ministry-approved products.
Mohamad, 45, who owns seven vape shops, said the sudden policy shift left him puzzled. He argued that other harmful products like liquor and cigarettes remain legal despite studies showing their dangers. He also doubted authorities could enforce a full ban, warning it would likely fuel the black market.
Consumer advocacy groups echoed those concerns. “The ban won’t eliminate demand. It will simply eliminate safe access,” said Tarmizi Anuwar, country associate at the Consumer Choice Center, according to Malay Mail. He warned that smokers could return to cigarettes or unsafe black-market alternatives.
Adzwan of MRECA said prohibition would dismantle the regulated retail network, while Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce secretary-general Ridhwan Rosli argued it would make unregulated products more accessible, especially to minors.
Ridhwan noted that despite Malaysia’s prohibition of nicotine-based vape products, some 1.1 million people still use unregulated devices. He pointed to Singapore, where a full ban has been in place since 2018, citing survey findings that vape usage rose from 3.9% to 5.2% of the population.
Meanwhile, health advocates in Malaysia welcomed the planned ban, calling it a timely intervention. Ng Kim Fong, a cardiologist and founder of the Johor Doctors Association, said “prevention is better than cure” and argued it is best to ban vape products before they lead to health issues or abuse.
Helmy Haja Mydin, a lung specialist at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, agreed, saying “we should not allow an industry to profit while the losses are borne by the government and society.”
Malaysia’s vape industry has grown rapidly, valued at RM3.48 billion (US$830 million) in 2023 compared with RM2.27 billion in 2019, according to the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce.
The move comes as Johor’s vape market continues to thrive despite a freeze on business licences since 2016, with shops in Johor Bahru catering to many Singaporean customers crossing the border from a country where vaping is banned.
